^ 


o . 


J^A^.  Uc/^^ 


OF   THE 

Theological    Seminary 

PRINCETON,    N.  J. 

C'"-'*^. -•Jr^.'-r^^ Divicjo.' 

^V^c/A^6^ry^  Sectio' 

V 
Book,  N«, 


*  r 


'<i' 


THE 


COMPLETE  WORKS 

or 

REV.  DANIEL  A.  CLARK, 

WITH 

A   BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH 

AND  AN  ESTIMATE  OF  fflS  POWERS  AS  A  PREACHER, 


RET.    GEORGE    SHEPARD,   A.M. 

FBOFESSOB   OF  SACEED  KHETORIC,   BANGOR  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINART. 


IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 


VOL.  II, 


NEW  YORK : 
PUBLISHED  BY   BAKER   &  S  C  R  I  B  N  E  R, 

145   NASSAU   STREET   AND   36   PARK   ROW. 

1848. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1842,  by 

J.  HENRY  CLARK,  M.D., 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for  the 

Southern  District  of  New- York. 


B.   W.   BENEDICT, 
Itereotyper  and  Printer. 


/'PU Hi  Oil ^.'01^      ^, 


CONTENTS  OF  VOLUME  II. 


SERMONS. 

PAGE 

XLII. — The  Enemies  of  the  Church  made  to  promote  her  interests,     7 

XLIIL— Wrath  conquered  by  love, 26 

XLrV.— A  brand  plucked  from  the  fire,           ....  37 

XLV.— The  Father  the  prototype  of  the  Son,     -        -        -        -  46 

XLVL— The  Honest  and  Faithful  Ministry,     -        -        -        -  54 

XLVII.— The  Wealthy  Christian  ready  to  contribute,    -        -        -  71 

XL VIII. — The  Enlightened  Conscience  Unbending,    -        -        -  80 

XLIX.— The  Enlightened  Conscience  Unbending,  No.  2,       -        -  88 

L. — The  Concentrated  Results  of  the  Gospel,      -        -        -  96 

LI.— The  Bridgeless  Gulf, 106 

LII. — The  presence  of  God  the  glory  and  guide  of  his  people,  118 

LIIL— The  Gospel  Recluse, 134 

LIV. — The  Evening  of  Life  sorrowful, 152 

LV. — Heaven's  Cure  for  the  Plagues  of  Sin,         -        -        -  160 

LVL— Heaven's  Cure  for  the  Plagues  of  Sin,  No.  2,    -        -        -  171 

LVII. — Christ  conducts  to  Heaven  a  Holy  People,          -        -  180 

LVIIL— Gospel  Truth  Distinguished,          -----  191 

LIX.— The  Christian's  best  friend  aggrieved,         -        -        -  211 

LX. — Terms  of  Divine  Acceptance,         -----  223 

LXI.— Salvation  Made  Sure, 236 

LXIL— The  Desires  of  the  Wicked  Inadmissible,       -        -        -  245 

LXIII.— The  Christian's  Review,             256 

LXrV.— The  Infallible  Companion, 268 

LXV.— Kept  of  God,             276 


hr  CONTENTS. 

SHORT  SERMONS,  OR  OUTLINES  OF  DISCOURSES. 

1. — Jeremiah  iii.  5.  Behold,  thou  hast  spoken  and  done  evil  things 

as  thou  couldest,       .-.--.  285 

2.— 2  CHKON.vii.  14.  Ifniy  people,  which  are  called  by  my  name,  shall 
humble  themselves,  and  pray,  and  seek  my  face,  and  turn 
from  their  wicked  ways;  then  will  I  hear  from  heaven,  and 
will  forgive  their  sin,  and  will  heal  their  land,  -  -      295 

3. — Jeremiah  ix.  5.  They  weary  themselves  to  commit  iniquity,  299 

4.  Luke  x.  1L — Notwithstanding,  be  ye  sure  of  this,  that  the  king- 
dom of  Grod  is  come  nigh  unto  you,  -  .  .  303 

5.— EzEKiEL  xviii.  3L  Why  will  ye  die?  -  -  -      306 

6. — Psalm  l.  21.  Thou  though  test  that  I  was  altogether  such  a 
one  as  thyself;  but  I  will  reprove  thee,  and  set  them  in  order 
before  thine  eyes,  .....  309 

7. — ^Jeremiah  viii.  22.  Is  there  no  balm  in  Gilead  ?  Is  there  no  phy- 
sician there  1  Why  then  is  not  the  health  of  the  daughter 
of  my  people  recovered  ?  -  -  -  .  -      311 

8. — Isaiah  ii.  22.  Cease  ye  from  man,  whose  breath  is  in  his  nos- 
trils ;  for  wherein  is  he  to  be  accounted  of?  -  .  314 

9. — Hebrews  x.  31.  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of 

the  living  God,  ......      316 

10. — Galatians  iv.  15.  Where  is  then  the  blessedness  ye  spake  of?       318 
11. — Psalm  xlv.  10, 11.  Hearken,  O  daughter,  and  consider, and  incline 
thine  ear ;  forget  also  thine  own  people  and  thy  father's  house : 
30  shall  the  King  greatly  desire  thy  beauty,  for   he  is  thy 
Lord,  and  worship  thou  him,  ....  321 

12. — Jeremiah  iii.  15.  I  will  give  you  pastors  according  to  mine  heart, 

which  shall  feed  you  with  knowledge  and  understanding,  324 

13. — 1  Peter  iv.  18.  And  if  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved,  where 

shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear  ?        -  -  -      328 

14. — Genesis  xxviii.  20-22.  And  Jacob  vowed  a  vow,  saying,  If  God 
will  be  with  me,  and  will  keep  me  in  this  way  that  I  go,  and 
will  give  me  bread  to  eat,  and  raiment  to  put  on,  so  that  I 
come  again  to  my  father's  house  in  peace  ;  then  shall  the  Lord 
be  my  God  :  And  this  stone  which  I  have  set  for  a  pillar,  shall 
be  God's  house ;  and  of  all  that  thou  shall  give  me,  I  will  sure- 
ly give  the  tenth  untc  thee,  ....  33Q 


CONTENTS.  V 

15. — Matthew  xxii.  36,  37,  38.  Master,  which  is  the  great  com- 
mandment in  the  law  i  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Thou  shalt  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and 
with  all  thy  mind,  this  is  the  first  and  great  commandment,  333 

16. — Psalm  cii.  1.  Hear  my  Prayer,  0  Lord,  and  let  my  cry  come  un- 
to thee,  335 

17. — Luke  xviii.  13.  God  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner,        -  -  337 

- 18. — John  iii.  14.  And  as  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilder- 
ness, even  so  must  the  Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up,         -  -       339 

19. — Mattiieav  XXV.  41.    Depart  from  me  ye  cursed  into  everlasting 

fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels,  -  -  340 

20. — Matthew  viii.  34,  And  when  they  saw  him,  they  besought  him 

that  he  would  depart  out  of  their  coasts,         ...      343 

21. — Proverbs  iv.  18.  But  the  path  of  the  just  is  as  the  shining  light 

that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day,  -  345 

22. — Genesis  xxvii.  22.  The  voice  is  Jacob's  voice,  but  the  hands  are 

the  hands  of  Esau,       -...--      347 

23. — EccLEsiASTES  viii.  11.  Because  sentence  against  an  evil  work  is 
not  executed  speedily,  therefore  the  heart  of  the  sons  of  men 
is  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil,  ...  -  349 

24. — 1  John  iii.  3.  And  every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him,  purifieth  ' 

himself,  even  as  he  is  pure,      -  -  .  -  -      351 

25.— Numbers  xxiii.  10.    Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous  and 

let  my  last  end  be  like  his,  ....  353 

26. — AcTsxvii.  30. — And  the  times  of  this  ignorance  God  winked  at; 

but  now  commandeth  all  men  everywhere  to  repent,  -       355 

27. — Jeremiah  xvii.  5-6.  Thus  saith  the  Lord;  cursed  be  the  man 
that  trustelh  in  man,  and  maketh  flesh  his  arm,  and  whose 
heart  departeth  from  the  Lord ;  for  he  shall  be  Hke  the  heath 
in  the  desert,  and  shall  not  see  when  good  cometh ;  but  shall 
inhabit  the  parched  places  in  the  wilderness,  in  a  salt  land 
and  not  inhabited.  .....  357 

28. — 2  Corinthians  vi.  2.    Behold  now  is  the  accepted  time;  behold 

now  is  the  day  of  salvation,     ...  .      359 

29. — Psalms  cxxxvii.  5,  6.  If  I  forget  thee,  O  Jerusalem,  let  my  right 
hand  forget  her  cunning.  If  I  do  not  remember  thee,  let  my 
tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth,  if  I  prefer  not  Jerusa- 
lem above  my  chief  joy,       .....  360 

30. — John  xvii.  4.    I  have  finished  the  work  which  thou  gavest  me 

to  do,  -  -  -  -  -  -  *      363 


VI  CONTENTS. 

31. — RojiANS  xii.  12.    Continuing  instant  in  prayer,  -  -  365 

32. — Matthew  v.  5.    Blessed  are  the  meek,  for  they  shall  inherit  the 

earth, 366 

33. — 1  Corinthians  xvi.  22.    If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus 

Christ,  let  him  be  anathema  maranatha,     ...  369 

34. — Psalm  li.  14.  Deliver  me  from  blood  gultiness,  0  God,  thou  God 
of  my  salvation :  and  my  tongue  shall  sing  aloud  of  thy  right- 
eousness,        ----...      370 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


The  Syrian  Captive, 373 

Worlds  sent  out  to  illustrate  the  path  that  minds  should  take,  379 

Can  thine  Heart  endure  and  thine  Hands  be  strong  ?      -        -  384 

A  better  Church  will  make  a  better  World,      -        .        -        -  387 

If  we  had  a  better  Church  we  should  have  a  better  World,    -  391 

"  Fifteen  Minutes  before  the  time,"           .        -        .        -        .  393 

Gospel  Politeness  the  Ally  of  Heaven,           ....  396 

Duplicity, 399 

The  Return  Token, 402 

A  Dirge  of  the  Sanctuary,        -.---.-  403 

A  Wondrous  Beggar,            ...--..  404 

Dirge  for  the  Fourth  of  July,  1834,           .....  4O6 

The  influence  of  a  good  taste  upon  the  Moral  Affections,       -  407 
An  Exposition  of  I  John,  iv.  19.    We  love  him  because  he  first 

loved  us, 422 

A  Plea  for  the  Scriptures, 428 


SERMONS 


SERMON   XLII. 

THE  ENEMIES  OF  THE   CHURCH  MADE   TO  PROMOTE  HER 

INTERESTS. 

ISAIAH  X.  5 — 12. 
O  Assyrian,  the  rod  of  mine  anger,  and  the  staff  in  their  hand  is  mine  indignation.  I  will  send 
him  against  an  hypocritical  nation,  and  against  the  people  of  my  wrath  will  I  give  him  a  charge,  to 
take  the  spoil,  and  to  talte  the  prey,  and  to  tread  them  down  like  the  mire  of  the  streets.  How- 
beit  he  meaneih  not  so,  neither  doth  his  heart  think  so;  but  it  is  in  his  heart  to  destroy  and  cut  off 
nations  not  a  few.  For  he  saith,  are  not  my  princes  altogether  kings  ■?  Is  not  Calno  as  Carche- 
mish  1  is  not  Hainath  as  Arpad  1  is  not  Samaria  as  Damascus  "i  As  my  hand  hath  found  the 
kingdoms  of  the  idols,  and  whose  graven  linages  did  excel  them  of  Jerusalem  and  of  Samaria ;  shall 
I  not,  as  I  have  done  unto  Samaria  and  her  idols,  so  do  to  Jerusalem  and  her  idols  1  Wherefore 
it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  when  tlie  Lord  hath  performed  his  whole  work  upon  Mount  Zion,  and 
on  Jerusalem,  I  will  punish  the  fruit  of  the  stout  heart  of  tlie  king  of  Assyria,  and  the  glory  of  his 
high  looks. 

We  sometimes  discover,  in  a  scrap  of  sacred  story,  a  rich  and 
lucid  comment  upon  tiie  essential  doctrines  of  revelation.  The 
simple  statements  of  facts,  dissipates  the  darkness  that  obscured 
the  ways  of  God,  and  removes  the  cloud  behind  which  rolls  the 
wheels  of  Providence.  Let  us  only  read  of  what  God,  by  his  im- 
mediate agency,  or  by  the  agency  of  others,  has  done,  and  we  shall 
find  very  little  mystery  in  all  he  has  said.  The  doctrines  are  noth- 
ing more  than  the  general  principles  of  the  Divine  administration. 
The  moment  men  put  themselves  in  the  attitude  of  quarrel  with 
what  God  has  said,  they  invariably  tax  themselves  with  the  neces- 
sity of  denying  what  he  has  done.  The  father  who  returns  to  his 
house,  and  finds  his  beloved  child  a  corpse,  and  still  denies  the 
sovereignty  of  God,  proves  himself  a  pitiable  reasoner.  A  doc- 
trine so  pointedly  illustrated,  can  no  longer  be  matter  of  doubt, 
unless  he  choose  to  believe  a  lie. 


8 


THE    ENEMIES    OF    THE    CHURCH 


The  history  of  the  Assyrian  invasion,  foreseen  and  described  by 
the  prophet  in  the  text  and  context,  is  one  of  those  expository 
Scriptures,  which  ilhistrate  and  confirm,  what  are  erroneously 
termed  the  hard  doctrines  of  revelation.  God  is  here  seen  in  the 
attitude  of  administering  correction  to  his  people,  and  using  wick- 
ed men  as  the  staff,  destined  like  any  other  rod  to  be  committed 
to  the  fire,  when  the  children  are  reduced  to  obedience.  If  instead 
of  intending  to  bless  the  people  of  God,  they  mean  not  so,  mean 
no  service  to  their  Maker,  but  their  own  elevation,  intend  to  in- 
jure whom  they  hate,  all  this  does  not  disqualify  them  to  be  the 
sword  of  the  Lord.  There  is  something  fearfully  interesting  in 
the  Divine  sovereignty,  thus  illustrated  by  the  very  finger  of  God 
himself.  We  must  either  believe  what  God  has  spoken  on  this 
subject,  or  deny  what  he  has  done,  and  what  he  is  doing  daily 
before  our  very  eyes. 

I  must  detain  you  a  few  moments,  on  the  historical  facts  in  the 
case,  and  then  notice  more  largely  the  doctrines  they  inculcate. 

I.  We  attend  to  the  historical  facts.  God  had  a  church  in  the 
family  of  Abraham,  but  they  were  so  wicked,  that  he  styles  them 
in  the  text  a  hypocritical  nation.  He  would  correct  them  for  their 
sins,  and  would  employ  for  this  purpose  Sennacherib  the  king  of 
Assyria,  the  very  staff  they  had  leaned  on.  But  that  prince  would 
intend  no  such  good  to  the  covenant  people  of  God  ;  his  object 
would  be  devastation  and  plunder.  It  was  in  his  heart  to  destroy 
and  cut  off  nations  not  a  few.  He  boasted,  and  heaven  knew  his 
impudence,  that  his  power  was  great,  his  victories  numerous  and 
splendid,  his  princes,  monarchs,  and  the  gods  all  too  weak  to  re- 
sist him.  And  the  worst  is  yet  to  be  spoken,  he  threatened  that 
he  would  do  to  Jerusalem's  God  as  he  had  done  to  the  deities 
around  him.  How  contemptible  must  he  have  appeared  to  him 
who  sitteth  in  the  heavens.  Thus  the  axe  boasted  itself  against 
him  that  hewed  with  it,  the  saw  against  him  that  shook  it,  and  the 
rod  threatened  him  who  lifted  it  up. 

God  now  resolved  that  when  he  had  chastised  Israel  for  their 
idolatry,  and  their  waywardness,  he  would  curse  the  Assyrian  for 
his  pride.  He  might  live  till  he  had  performed  all  the  Divine  will 
upon  Mount  Zion,  and  upon  Jerusalem,  then  God  would  punish  the 
fruit  of  his  stout  heart,  and  bring  down  the  glory  of  his  high 
looks. 

God  would  make  him  know  that  he  was  a  mere  worm,  that  an 
Almighty  arm,  and  not  his  own,  had  gotten  him  his  victories,  and 


MADE    TO    PROMOTE    HER    INTERESTS. 


that  all  his  wrath  toward  the  people  of  God,  must  meet  a  final  and 
a  fearful  judgntient. 

When  God  speaks  in  the  text  o[  sending  that  proud  and  impious 
man,  to  chastise  his  people,  we  are  not  to  understand  that  God 
would  command  him  to  go,  or  justify  the  motives  by  which  he 
would  be  actuated.  God  does  not  punish  as  a  crime,  the  very  deed 
which  his  injunction  renders  duty.  It  is  believed  that  nothing 
more  is  meant,  than  that  God  would  so  order  events,  that  the  As- 
syrian should  hope  to  gratify  his  avarice  and  his  pride  in  hum- 
bling Jerusalem.  The  history  tells  for  itself,  that  the  king  had  one 
purpose,  and  the  King  of  kings  another,  and  that  God  kept  his  own 
purpose  a  secret  from  the  miscreant  whom  he  used  as  his  rod. 

Why  was  he  not  sent  of  God,  precisely  in  the  same  sense  as 
God  hardened  the  heart  of  Pharaoh  1  by  the  concurrence  of  events, 
that  should  have  produced  a  contrary  resolve.  The  Egyptian's 
heart  was  hardened  by  means  that  should  have  softened  it :  by  al- 
ternate judgments  and  mercies,  that  should  have  rendered  him  one 
of  the  holiest  men  that  has  lived.  So  the  Assyrian  was  sent,  by 
an  agency  that  should  have  rendered  him  Jerusalem's  warmest 
friend.  God  had  given  him  victory  over  the  idols  whose  shrines 
he  had  assaulted,  and  made  him  rich  vvith  the  spoil.  He  should 
then  have  honored  the  God  of  battles,  and  should  have  come  to 
Jerusalem  to  worship  his  Benefactor.  He  should  have  been  con- 
tent, when  he  had  been  suffered  to  spoil  the  temples  of  idolatry. 

But  these  very  successes  made  him  covet  the  treasures  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  thus  had  the  very  opposite  effect  which  they  should  and 
would  have  had,  upon  a  benevolent  and  holy  mind.  There  is  a 
parallel  case  in  Jeremiah.  The  Church  had  forfeited  the  favor  of 
God,  and  must  go  into  captivity.  Babylon  must  lead  them  captive, 
and  when  Israel  should  be  humbled,  must  be  punished  for  making 
war  with  the  people  of  God.  Read  the  twenty-fifth  chapter  of 
Jeremiah,  and  you  will  have  the  facts  in  a  shape  more  interesting, 
than  that  in  which  any  comment  can  place  them. 

Thus  God  employs  wicked  men  in  the  service  of  his  people, 
while  they  mean  far  otherwise,  and  are  in  fact  the  agents  of  anoth- 
er prince.  Still  God  holds  them  accountable,  restrains  their  wrath 
when  it  will  not  praise  him,  and  finally  does  his  whole  pleasure, 
precisely  as  though  the  agents  he  employed  were  his  trusty  and  . 
devoted  servants.  How  calculated  are  such  facts  to  beget  respect 
for  the  character  and  ways  of  God  !  How  do  they  corroborate 
the  doctrines  of  revelation,  and  humble  the  pride  of  man! 

It  is  a  solemn  and  bitter  reflection,  that  the  people  of  God  must 

VOL.  II.  2 


10  THE    ENEMIES    OF    THE    CHURCH 

be  so  frequently  and  severely  chastised.  That  God  should  term 
them  a  hypocritical  nation,  and  the  people  of  his  wrath,  and  let 
loose  upon  them  the  armies  of  idolatry,  to  scatter  and  peal  them. 
But  God  will  assuredly  take  care  of  his  own  people,  and  though 
many  may  perish  who  profess  his  name  ,:  still  where  he  has  begun 
a  good  work,  he  will  not  fail  to  employ  the  best  means  and  the 
best  agents,  till  the  work  be  consummated,  and  the  happy  subjects 
are  brought  home  to  his  kingdom. 

II.  There  are  several  doctrines  that  these  facts  inculcate,  vjhich  now 
claim  our  particular  attention  ;  each  prominently  suggested  in  the 
text.  There  is  an  important  sense  in  which  unregenerate  men  are 
the  servants  of  the  most  high  God.  He  employs  them  to  bless 
his  people.  They  mean  not  so.  While  they  are  doing  their  work, 
God  restrains  them.  When  their  work  is  done,  as  God  intended 
it  should  be,  he  will  punish  them  for  not  doing  his  pleasure  from 
right  motives. 

1.  There  is  an  important  sense  in  which  unregenerate  men  are  the 
servants  of  the  most  high  God.  This  general  truth  is  seen  distinct- 
ly in  the  service  done  by  the  Assyrian  for  backsliding  Israel.  God 
would  send  him,  and  would  give  him  a  charge,  to  take  the  spoil, 
and  to  take  the  prey,  and  to  tread  them  down  like  the  mire  of  the 
streets. 

In  support  of  the  proposition,  that  ungodly  men  are  the  servants 
of  the  Lord,  we  say.  He  gave  them  being.  He  made  all  things  for 
himself,  yea  even  the  wicked  for  the  day  of  evil.  If  men  have 
become  alienated  in  their  hearts,  still  God  is  their  rightful  Sover- 
eign. His  propriety  in  them  is  original  and  unalienable.  If  they 
have  entered  into  the  employ  of  the  adversary,  still  God  has  given 
them  no  discharge  from  his  service.  His  right  to  them  as  his 
creatures  can  admit  of  no  question. 

And  it  will  not  be  denied  that  men,  however  offensive  their  cha- 
racter in  the  sight  of  God,  are  dependant  on  him  as  their  Pre- 
server and  Benefactor.  "  In  him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our 
being."  Said  the  Psalmisl,  "The  eyes  of  all  wait  on  thee,  and 
thou  givest  them  their  meat  in  due  season.  Thou  openest  thine 
hand,  and  satisliest  the  desire  of  every  living  thing."  Thus  wicked 
men  are  the  property  of  God,  and  are  preserved  by  him,  two  essen- 
tial relationships  between  the  master  and  his  servants. 

And  he  has  occasionally  styled  them  his  servants.  "  I  will  send 
and  take  all  the  families  of  the  north,  saith  the  Lord,  and  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, the  king  of  Babylon,  my  serva?it  and  I  will  bring  them 


MADE   TO   PROMOTE    HER    INTERESTS.  11 

against  this  land."  His  anointed,  and  his  shepherd,  are  terms  which 
God  applied  to  Cyrus.  And  he  commissioned  the  prophet  to  say- 
to  Israel,  "  The  sons  of  strangers  shall  build  up  thy  wall,  and  their 
kings  shall  minister  unto  thee— For  the  nation  and  kingdom  that 
will  not  serve  thee  shall  perish."  Thus  the  world,  from  its  crowned 
heads  to  its  meanest  vassals,  are  constituted  the  servants  of  the 
Church  of  God. 

And  he  assigns  the  ungodly  their  work,  as  the  master  does  the 
servant.  The  law  of  God,  in  all  its  minute  detail,  is  the  rule  of 
duty  to  every  ungodly  man.  And  he  has  sometimes  specified  the 
service  which  he  required  of  individual  sinners,  still  withholding 
from  them  a  knowledge  of  his  purpose.  Sennacherib  must  scourge 
the  backsliding  Church,  Nebuchadnezzar  carry  them  to  Babylon, 
and  Cyrus  restore  them,  and  rebuild  their  city  and  their  temple. 
Nebuchadnezzar  was  sent  to  punish  the  iniquity  of  Tyre,  and  was 
then  directed  to  take  Egypt  as  a  prey.  Thus  have  the  enemies  of 
God  been  assigned  sometimes  a  specific  task,  as  the  master  de- 
cides in  what  field  each  servant  of  his  shall  toil. 

And  God  sits  in  judgment  upon  the  service  which  unregenerate  men 
do  for  him.  I  refer  now,  not  to  the  last  judgment,  but  to  decisions 
which  God  passes,  and  punishments  which  he  inflicts  in  the  pre- 
sent life.  Nor  yet  do  I  refer  to  judgments,  which  God  inflicts 
upon  the  wicked  generally,  but  to  those  instances  when  he  has  ter- 
ribly reproved  them,  for  not  doing  to  his  mind  the  very  work  as- 
signed thein.  I  shall  notice  here  but  a  single  case — Nebuchadnez- 
zar, the  king  of  Babylon,  was  the  Lord's  sword  to  punish  Israel, 
and  all  the  nations  bordering  upon  Israel.  So  eminently  was  he 
sustained  as  the  Lord's  servant,  to  scourge  the  nations,  that  de- 
struction was  threatened  to  every  nation  that  did  not  submit  to 
him.  And  still,  in  performing  the  very  service  for  which  he  was 
thus  made  great,  he  so  ofTended  God  as  to  render  his  overthrow 
as  conspicuous  as  had  been  his  pride,  his  insolence,  and  his 
oppressions. 

I  remark  once  more,  in  confirmation  of  the  fact  that  wicked  men 
are  God's  servants,  that  he  rewards  them  for  their  labors.  For  the 
hard  service  which  the  king  of  Babylon  performed  against  Tyre, 
in  which  every  head  was  made  bald,  and  every  shoulder  pealed,  he 
was  commissioned  to  go  and  take  the  spoil  of  Egypt  as  his  reward. 
Indeed,  so  extensively  was  that  man  employed  by  the  God  of 
heaven,  to  scourge  the  enemies  of  Israel,  and  his  own  Cliurch 
when  they  needed  chastisement,  that  there  went  out  in  his  behalf 
this  wonderful  edict ;  "  I  have  given  all  these  lands  into  the  hands 


12  THE    ENEMIES    OF    THE    CHURCH 

of  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  king  of  Babylon,  my  servant,  and  the 
beasts  of  the  field  have  I  given  him  also,  to  serve  him ;  all  nations 
shall  serve  him,  and  his  son,  and  his  son's  son,  until  the  very  time 
of  his  land  come." — "  The  nations  that  bring  their  neck  under  the 
yoke  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  and  serve  him,  those  will  I  let  remain 
still  in  their  own  land,  saith  the  Lord  j  and  they  shall  till  it  and 
dwell  therein."  Even  Israel  was  commanded,  "  Bring  your  necks 
under  the  yoke  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  and  serve  him,  and  his 
people,  and  live."  I  will  mention  only  one  other  case,  out  of 
scores  that  might  he  mentioned,  where  God  rewarded  a  wicked 
man,  for  services  done  him.  Jehu  seems  not  to  have  been  a  man 
of  God,  but  for  the  service  he  performed,  in  cutting  off  the  house 
of  Ahab,  and  destroying  idolatry,  his  children,  to  the  fourth  gene- 
ration, should  sit  upon  the  throne  of  Israel. 

It  is  believed  by  many,  that  the  promise  contained  in  the  fifth 
commandment,  and  all  those  which  secure  present  prosperity  to 
the  liberal,  are  often  fulfilled  to  ungodly  men,  who  from  wrong 
motives,  have  honored  their  parents,  or  been  generous  to  the 
Church  and  people  of  God.  Perhaps  many  a  wealthy  man  in  our 
land,  who  yet  has  no  treasure  laid  up  in  heaven,  has  received  his 
wealth  of  the  Lord,  in  reward  for  deeds  of  kindness  done  his 
people,  or  exertions  made  to  extend  and  bless  his  kingdom.  With 
the  measure  they  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to  them  again.  If, 
without  loving  God,  they  will  feed  his  children,  and  sustain  his 
ministers,  and  spread  his  gospel,  he  will,  without  loving  them,  fill 
their  barns  with  plenty,  and  cause  their  presses  to  burst  out  with 
new  wine.  It  was  perishable  treasure  that  they  loaned  to  him,  ,fh 
perishable  materials  he  will  reward  them  a  thousand  fold.  But 
the  wealth  he  bestov/s,  since  they  gave  him  not  their  hearts,  can- 
not be  accounted  a  covenant  blessing.  It  may  be  so  abused  in 
their  hands,  as  to  ripen  them  for  an  earlier  destruction.  May  the 
mercy  of  a  pardoning  God  prevent ! 

Thus  do  we  argue,  that  wicked  men  are  God's  servants.  He 
gave  them  being,  is  their  preserver,  and  benefactor;  has  styled 
them  his  servants,  has  appointed  them  their  work,  sits  in  judg- 
ment upon  the  services  they  render  him,  and  rewards  them  for 
their  labors.  I  have  not  said  they  were  servants  in  the  same 
sense  in  which  his  people  receive  this  appellation.  Unhappily  it 
is  in  a  widely  different  sense.  The  one  accomplishes  his  purposes 
with  no  such  design,  and  is  rev.^arded  with  the  meat  that  perishes  ; 
the  other  receives  the  law  at  his  mouth,  does  his  will  with  design, 


MADE  TO  PROMOTE  HER  INTERESTS.  13 

and  has  for  his  reward  the  meat  that  endureth  to  everlasting  life. 
I  proceed  to  the 

2.  Promiaent  suggestion  of  the  text,  God  employs  wicked  men  to 
bless  his  people.  If  God  would  say  to  his  Church  once,  "  For  the 
nation  and  kingdom  that  will  not  serve  thee  shall  perish ;"  why- 
has  he  not  thus  published  to  the  world  a  permanent  and  established 
principle  of  his  government  1  And  if  nations  hold  their  being  and 
their  prosperity,  on  the  condition  that  they  subserve  the  interests 
of  God's  people,  why  do  we  not  infer  with  assurance,  that  indi- 
viduals are  under  the  same  law  1  Hence  all  the  ungodly,  and 
especially  those  who  shall  die  in  their  sins,  live  to  serve  the 
Church  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 

This  subject  is  illustrated  in  the  parable  of  the  tares  and  the 
wheat ;  they  must  both  grow  together  till  the  harvest.  It  is  easy 
to  see  how  grieved  and  injured  would  be  many  of  the  people  of 
God,  were  not  his  enemies  permitted  to  live.  Remove  the  wicked 
husband,  and  the  pious  wife  is  a  widow,  poor,  and  dependant,  and 
exposed  to  temptation  and  reproach  ;  while  her  children,  the  seed 
of  the  covenant,  are  perhaps  removed  from  her,  must  be  unedu- 
cated, be  reared  without  the  means  of  grace,  and  in  a  world,  cold, 
and  inhospitable  like  this,  might  be  constrained  to  beg  their 
bread.     Thus  the  promise  of  God  would  come  to  the  ground. 

In  other  cases,  one  who  is  not  born  of  God  may  be,  as  it  re- 
gards temporalities,  the  support  of  a  Christian  Church.  His  death 
might  remove  its  faithful  pastor,  and  the  people  perish  for  lack  of 
vision.  On  the  exertions  of  one  wicked  man  may  depend,  in  a 
variety  of  ways,  the  instruction  of  a  vast  number  of  the  rising  ge- 
neration. God,  then,  will  sustain  him  in  life,  and  fill  his  store- 
house with  good  things,  and  bless  him,  that  he  may  bless  others, 
and  continue  him  down  to  the  extremest  old  age. 

It  may  happen  that  one  who  does  not  love  God  may  be  a  valu- 
able citizen  or  statesman.  The  pressure  of  government  may  be 
upon  his  shoulders,  and  a  state  or  kingdom  be  greatly  injured  by 
his  death,  and  ultimately  the  church  suffer.  Let  both  then  grow 
together  till  the  harvest.  God  has  laid  his  plan,  and  will  not  aban- 
don it,  in  which  he  has  secured  beyond  the  possibility  of  hazard, 
the  best  interests  of  his  people. 

We  should  have  some  difficulty  in  vindicating  the  ways  of  God, 
if  the  multitudes  of  the  ungodly,  especially  those  who  at  last  per- 
ish, had  no  profitable  employment  in  his  world.  A  wise  and  good 
man  would  not  make  provision  for  the  idle  and  the  vagrant.  He 
would   be  unwilling   to  foster   inaction,  or  waste  his  property. 


14  THE  ENEMIES  OF  THE  CHUECH 

Hence  it  cannot  be  that  the  blessed  God,  who  makes  the  wants  of 
a  disloyal  world  his  care,  has  not  the  wisdom  to  find  them  employ- 
ment in  his  house.  Thus  his  known  character  gives  us  assurance, 
that  he  will  not  give  breath  and  bread  and  raiment  to  beings  for 
whom  he  has  no  service  in  his  kingdom,  and  whose  existence  and 
agency  in  that  case  would  but  cumber  and  curse  his  creation. 

Let  us  look  at  facts,  and  let  them  speak  in  behalf  of  God.  They 
were  doubtless  ungodly  men  who  built  the  ark  in  which  Noah  and 
all  his  were  saved  from  the  miseries  of  the  deluge.  Joseph's  un- 
godly brethren  raised  him  to  that  seat  of  honor  and  power  which 
he  filled  in  Egypt.  The  impious  Pharaoh  fed  the  Church  of  God 
during  a  long  protracted  famine.  The  blood-thirsty  Haman  ele- 
vated Mordecai  in  the  court  of  Persia.  The  princes  of  Babylon 
procured  Daniel  his  great  advancement  in  that  monarchy.  So  the 
Canaanites  lived  and  prospered,  till  they  had  cultivated  their  land, 
and  made  it  fertile  and  beautiful  for  the  comfort  of  Israel.  They 
built  cities,  and  planted  vineyards  and  olive  yards,  and  Israel  eat 
the  fruit  of  their  labors.  Cyrus  sent  back  the  Jewish  captives  to 
their  land,  and  Darius  contributed  from  his  own  purse  to  build  the 
house  of  God,  and  supply  the  daily  sacrifice.  Judas  marked  out 
the  Lamb,  and  the  impious  Sanhedrim,  and  the  Roman  soldiery 
put  forth  the  decree,  and  built  the  altar,  and  slew  the  sacrifice, 
that  atoned  for  sins,  and  procured  the  redemption  of  a  world. 
The  proud  CjBsar  reduced  the  world  to  one  empire,  that  the  way 
might  be  prepared  to  promulgate  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed 
God.  Columbus  suffered  every  thing  but  death,  that  he  might 
search  out  a  place  for  the  pilgrims,  just  at  the  juncture  when  they 
must  flee  or  sufller. 

I  know  that  the  wicked  have  sometimes  persecuted  the  people 
of  God  even  unto  death.  But  this  is  still  the  same  service,  as 
faith  views  it.  When  believers  are  matured  for  heaven,  their 
death  is  precious  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord.  While  men  have  forged 
their  chains,  and  built  their  dungeons,  and  lighted  their  fagots, 
they  have  performed  a  service  as  necessary  to  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  grand  plan  of  redeeming  mercy,  as  when  they  have 
housed,  and  fed,  and  cherished,  and  comforted  them. 

Yes,  from  the  time  of  Cain  till  this  very  day,  wicked  men  have 
served  and  blessed  the  Church  of  God.  And  the  increase  and  the 
joy  of  his  kingdom  admits  now  a  foreign  agency,  as  readily  as 
when  Jerusalem  was  rebuilt,  and  the  second  temple  set  up.  Men 
pursue  their  own  inclinations,  and  do  what  they  please,  while  God 
directs  all  their  energies  into  the  same  channel,  and  renders  them 


MADE   TO   PKOMOTE   HER   INTERESTS.  15 

subservient  to  the  interests  of  that  blessed  kingdom  which  he  has 
established  in  this  world.  Not  a  muscle,  a  nerve,  a  passion,  or  a 
thought  exists  for  any  other  purpose  ;  or  worm  or  sparrow  per- 
ishes but  with  this  design. 

Many  a  foe  of  Zion,  many  who  finally  will  have  no  interest  in  a 
Savior's  love,  are  employed  in  accumulating  wealth,  clearing  for- 
ests, cultivating  farms,  and  building  habitations  to  accommodate 
the  friends  of  God,  in  that  day  when  the  knowledge  of  him  shall 
cover  the  earth  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.  Hence  we  read, 
"  the  wealth  of  the  sinner  is  laid  up  for  the  just."  And  we  read 
again,  "  Though  the  sinner  may  heap  up  silver  as  the  dust,  and 
prepare  raiment  as  the  clay  5  he  may  prepare  it,  but  the  just  shall 
put  it  on,  and  the  innocent  shall  divide  the  silver. 

Every  storm  that  blows  has  its  commission  to  bless  the  Church, 
and  every  passion  that  raves  has  the  same  charge.  The  revolu- 
tions that  have  been  so  frequent  in  our  day,  so  disastrous  to  king- 
doms, ruinous  to  individual  fortune,  and  torturing  to  the  heart  of 
sensibility,  though  managed,  as  they  evidently  have  been,  almost 
exclusively  by  ungodly  men,  and  usually  with  the  basest  design, 
have  helped  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  heralds  of  salvation  to  carry 
glad  tidings  of  great  joy  to  all  people. 

That  scourge  of  nations,  and  contemner  of  human  life  and  hu- 
man happiness,  who  lately  died  in  solitude  on  one  of  the  isles  of 
the  sea,  though  long  the  curse  of  Europe,  and  remembered  with 
horrid  interest  by  the  millions  whom  his  ambition  bereaved,  and 
immortalized  by  the  rivers  of  blood  that  every  where  flowed  at 
his  feet,  still  wrought  for  the  Church  of  God.  He  gave  popery  a 
deadly  wound,  crushed  the  inquisition,  avenged  no  doubt  much  of 
the  blood  of  the  martyrs,  and  though  himself  a  tyrant,  was  the 
means  of  enkindling  a  spirit  of  freedom,  which  will,  not  long  first, 
result  in  the  downfall  of  every  despot  in  Europe,  and  through  the 
world. 

The  tract  system,  that  mighty  engine  by  which  God  is  now 
promulgating  the  honors  of  his  name,  was  the  invention  of  infidel- 
ity, and  was  first  used  in  corrupting  the  world  with  error. 

The  wise  and  discerning  can  see  evidence  in  the  events  of  every 
day,  that  wicked  men  are  employed  in  serving  God's  people. 
When  their  treatment  is  unkind,  it  renders  believers  humble, 
watchful,  prayerful,  and  heavenly-minded.  Thus  the  promise, 
"  Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you, 
and  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake  ;"  and 
••nother  promise  more  ample  yet,  "  All  things  are  yours  ;  whether 


16  THE  ENEMIES  OF  THE  CHURCH 

Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or  lif  ,  or  death,  or 
things  present,  or  things  to  come  ;  all  are  yours ;  and  ye  are 
Christ's ;  and  Christ  is  God's."  We  do  not  say  that  Christians 
could  not  be  sanctified  in  a  world  where  they  should  be  treated 
only  with  kindness  ;  but  we  apprehend  that  in  such  a  world  they 
would  ripen  for  heaven  more  slowly.  They  would  be  too  well 
satisfied,  and  wish  no  other  or  better  home. 

Even  the  buffetings  of  the  adversary  have  been  made  a  blessing. 
Job  was  thus  made  a  humbler  and  abetter  man.  And  Peter,  when 
Satan  had  sifted  him  as  wheat,  was  a  more  useful  apostle.  When 
John,  in  his  vision,  was  questioned  respecting  some  who  appeared 
to  be  approaching  heaven  from  this  world,  "  Who  are  these  ar- 
rayed in  white  robes  1  and  whence  came  they  V  the  question 
being  referred,  was  answered,  "  These  are  they  which  came  out 
of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."  The  idea  distinctly  conveyed 
is,  that  tribulation  made  them  illustrious  spirits.  And  we  have  all 
noticed  in  our  walk  through  life,  instances  of  believers,  who  evi- 
dently were  making  great  advances  in  the  divine  life,  in  the  most 
adverse  circumstances  that  can  be  well  conceived  of.  When  they 
have  not  dared  to  pray,  nor  attend  a  place  of  worship,  nor  enter 
into  covenant  with  God,  it  has  seemed  as  if  every  lash  of  adversity 
pressed  them  on  toward  their  home  in  the  heavens.  We  have  ad- 
mired the  straight-forwardness  of  their  course,  when  they  have  wet 
every  foot  of  their  way  with  tears. 

Thus  since  the  revolt  in  heaven,  and  the  fall  in  paradise,  devils, 
and  those  whom  they  have  led  captive  at  their  will,  have  had  em- 
ploy in  the  service  of  God's  people.  Directly  and  intentionally, 
or  otherwise,  they  have  served  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  most 
high  God,  and  will  continue  in  the  service,  while  the  earth  shall 
remain,  and  there  shall  be  on  it  a  believer  ripening  for  heaven. 
And  God  is  so  sovereign  in  managing  the  affairs  of  his  people, 
that  he  asks  not  the  consent  of  the  ungodly  to  be  thus  employed. 
They  pursue  their  own  plan,  and  he  his;  but  whether  they  love  or 
hate,  are  kind  or  hostile,  their  highest  love,  and  their  bitterest  re- 
bukes, achieve  for  the  people  of  God  the  same  object,  and  push 
them  on  toward  their  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens. 

3.  They  mean  not  so.  It  is  very  far  from  being  the  intention  of 
wicked  men  to  serve  the  people  of  God.  So  much  maybe  asserted 
on  the  authority  of  facts,  and  what  is  more  yet,  on  the  authority 
of  God.     Sinners  have  one  purpose  which  they  intend  to  accom- 


MADE    TO    PROMOTE    HER    INTERESTS,  17 

plish  in  every  enterprise  of  theirs,  and  God  another  in  the  decree 
that  assigned  them  that  service.  "  Ye  intended  evil  against  me," 
said  the  injured  Joseph,  "but  the  Lord  meant  it  for  good,  to  save 
much  people  alive."  Haman  intended  the  ruin  of  Mordecai,  but 
God  purposed  his  high  exaltation.  The  princes  of  Babylon  nneant 
the  ruin  of  Daniel,  but  God  would  advance  him  to  the  highest  re- 
nown. The  infidels  of  France,  while  they  spilt  the  blood  of  the 
priests,  and  confiscated  their  funds,  purposed  the  overthrow  of  re- 
ligion, but  God  meant  a  deadly  blow  at  Antichrist.  Voltaire  con- 
trived the  tract  system,  to  proscribe  the  Scriptures,  but  God  de- 
signed the  dissemination  of  the  gospel  truth.  And  when  the 
wicked  intention  is  less  or  more  manifest,  still  the  case  does  not 
widely  differ. 

It  does  not  as  we  conceive  prejudice  at  all  the  position  we  main- 
tain, to  allow,  that  there  are  individuals  among  the  ungodly,  who 
wish  well  to  those  who  love  God,  and  are  daily  employed  in  doing 
them  kindnesses.  The  questions  to  be  asked  in  that  case  are,  do 
they  esteem  God's  people  any  the  more  because  of  their  piety, 
or  less  1  or  do  good  to  them  the  more  cordially,  or  the  less  so, 
because  they  love  God  ?  Is  the  zeal  to  do  them  favors  increased 
or  diminished  because  they  are  partially  sanctified  1  Men 
may  continue  kind  to  them  notwithstanding  their  religion, 
and  still  be  the  farthest  possible  from  intending  to  bless  them  as- 
the  friends  of  God.  The  most  selfish  motives  may  induce  them  to 
act :  as  the  Christian  may  be  the  wife,  or  the  husband,  or  the 
brother,  or  the  child,  of  the  unregenerate  benefactor,  and  the  in- 
stinctive aflections  do  all  we  see  done.  And  even  then  it  is  doubt- 
ful, whether  there  is  ever  a  wish  in  the  unrenewed  to  do  them 
spiritual  good,  to  advance  them  on  toward  heaven.  I  know  of  no 
authority,  either  from  Scripture  or  fact,  to  warrant  the  supposition, 
that  any  believer  ever  had  an  unregenerate  friend,  who  wished  him 
to  progress  in  putting  on  the  image  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
What !  wish  a  wider  and  still  wider  separation,  and  finally  an 
eternal  remove  from  them  we  love  !  urge  them  to  depart  from  us, 
be  more  unlike  us,  and  have  less  fellowship  with  us  1  and  this  be- 
cause we  love  them  !    There  would  be  something  strange  in  all  tliis. 

Nor  will  it  be  any  argument  against  the  position,  they  mean  not 
so,  that  men  are  not  conscious  of  this  operation  of  their  hearts. 
The  same  heart  that  is  desperately  wicked,  is  deceitful  above  all 
things.  Very  few  are  conscious  of  hating  the  character  of  God, 
or  his  law,  or  his  government.  You  may  go  to  the  careless,  stu- 
pid, prayerless  multitude,  and  only  one  in  a  thousand  will  confess 

VOL.  IX.  3 


18  THE  ENEMIES  OF  THE  CHURCH 

that  he  hates  God,  and  he  rather  because  of  his  orthodox  educa- 
tion, than  his  consciousness,  and  the  residue  will  most  of  them  be 
angry,  that  you  should  presume  to  charge  them  with  a  crime  so 
monstrous.  You  may  accuse  them  in  the  very  language  that  God 
uses,  of  having  evil  hearts  of  unbelief,  of  being  carnally  minded, 
or  of  being  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  and  if  you  make  them  un- 
derstand that  all  this  implies,  that  they  do  not  love  their  Maker, 
and  his  people,  they  will  resist  the  imputation  in  the  very  face  of 
this  inspired  testimony.  If  no  charge  may  be  brought  against  the 
unregenerate,  but  such  as  they  are  ordinarily  conscious  is  true,  we 
must  either  find  them  in  a  state  of  conviction,  or  may  press  home 
upon  them  no  guilt  of  any  shape  or  hue. 

If  then  the  doctrine  may  stand,  it  is  but  what  every  believer  in 
divine  revelation  expects,  that  God  will  employ  his  power,  to  con- 
vert to  the  use  of  his  people,  what  is  or  is  not  done  with  this  view. 
He  would  not  leave  them  in  a  world  where,  our  doctrine  true, 
there  are  so  few  to  design  their  good,  without  some  sure  promise 
that  he  will  defend  them,  and  will  by  all  events,  promote  their 
present  sanctification,  and  their  ultimate  blessedness.  Hence  the 
broad  fields  of  promise.  "  The  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee." 
"  He  made  a  pit  and  digged  it,  and  is  fallen  into  the  ditch  which 
he  made.  His  mischief  shall  return  upon  his  own  head,  and  his 
violent  dealings  come  down  upon  his  own  pate."  What  a  keen- 
ness is  there  in  that  divine  challenge  in  the  second  Psalm  ;  "  Why 
do  the  heathen  rage,  and  the  people  imagine  a  vain  thing  1  The 
kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves,  and  the  rulers  take  counsel  to- 
gether, against  the  Lord,  and  against  his  anointed,  saying,  let  us 
break  their  bands  asunder,  and  cast  away  their  cords  from  us.  He 
that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh  :  the  Lord  shall  have  them 
in  derision."  The  address  of  God  to  the  tempter  soon  after  the 
fall,  contains  the  very  sentiment  we  enforce,  "  I  will  put  enmity 
between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed." 
And  said  our  Lord  to  his  disciples,  "  I  came  not  to  send  peace  but 
sword.  For  I  am  come  to  set  a  man  at  variance  against  his  father, 
and  the  daughter  against  her  mother,  and  the  daughter-in-law 
against  her  mother-in-law.  And  a  man's  foes  shall  be  they  of  his 
own  household."  From  language  like  this,  with  which  the  Bible 
is  filled,  we  should  seem  to  be  justi^ed  in  supporting  the  position, 
they  mean  not  so.  It  is  not  the  design  of  unregenerate  men  to  bless, 
directly  or  indirectly,  the  people  of  God.     I  proceed  to  say, 

4).  While  God  employs  wicked  men  in  serving  his  people,  he 
holds  them  under  close  restraint.     Look  at  the  fulfilment  of  the  pre- 


MADE    TO    PROMOTE    HER    INTERESTS.  ig 

diction  of  the  text  in  the  eighteenth  and  nineteenth  chapters  of 
the  second  book  of  Kings.  That  prince  was  sent  as  predicted  in 
the  text,  and  his  generals  with  a  great  army  encamped  under  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem.  There  Rabshakeh,  in  the  name  of  his  master, 
insulted  God,  practised  perfidy  with  the  king  of  Israel,  abused  and 
ridiculed  the  people,  and  pretended  to  have  a  commission  from 
God  to  destroy  Jerusalem,  Hezekiah  committed  the  matter  to 
the  Lord,  and  in  sackcloth  appealed  to  him  to  defend  his  own 
great  name,  and  save  his  people.  And  God,  by  his  prophet,  sent 
him  an  answer  of  peace.  Said  Jehovah  of  the  proud  monarch, 
who  had  come  to  wage  war  with  his  honor,  "  I  know  thy  abode, 
and  thy  going  out,  and  thy  coming  in,  and  thy  rage  against  me." 
It  was  a  moment  of  awful  interest.  Just  without  the  gates  of  the 
city  was  a  victorious  army,  of  nearly  two  hundred  thousand  men. 
Jfow  it  was  that  faith  only  could  penetrate  the  dark  cloud,  that 
hung  over  the  city  and  sanctuary  of  God. 

But  God  had  chained  that  impudent  blasphemer  to  the  foot  of 
his  throne,  and  he  had  now  gone  to  the  extent  of  his  limits.  When 
men,  in  abusing  God's  people,  have  enough  of  the  fiend  about 
them,  to  go  on  and  insult  God  himself,  then  h.is  people  are  safe, 
for  the  Divine  honor  must  be  vindicated,  and  God  will  do  that 
himself,  most  promptly.  I  should  be  afraid  of  no  man  who  would 
curse  me,  and  my  Maker  too.  I  have  then  only  to  stand  still,  and 
see  the  salvation  of  God. 

That  proud  man  Avas  in  the  hand  of  a  mighty  Conqueror,  and 
here  was  Israel's  safety.  "  I  will  put  my  hook  in  thy  nose,  and 
my  bridle  in  thy  lips,  and  I  will  turn  thee  back  by  the  way  which 
thou  camest."  That  night  the  angel  of  the  Lord  entered  the 
Assyrian  camp,  and  slew  a  hundred  four-score  and  five  thousand. 
When  Sennacherib  awoke,  and  saw  his  whole  army  dead  corpses, 
he  returned  to  his  own  land,  and  went  to  worship  in  the  temple  of 
Nisroch,  his  god,  where  two  of  his  own  sons  imbued  their  hands 
in  his  blood.  When  men  have  blasphemed  God,  he  can  easily 
overtake  them,  and  slay  them.  "  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into 
the  haiwJs  of  the  living  God."  That  impious  man  perished  in  the 
very  temple  of  the  god  he  worshipped,  that  Jehovah  might  doubly 
avenge  the  insults  that  had  been  offered  him,  on  the  idols  to  whom 
he  had  been  compared,  and  the  wretch  who  had  defined  his  power. 
Thus  God,  while  he  had  that  blasphemer  in  his  employ,  was  care- 
ful to  hold  him  under  close  restraint. 

We  infer  the  same  doctrine  from  the  history  of  Balaam.  He 
would  have  cursed  Israel,  because  he  loved  the  wages  of  unright- 


20  THE  ENEMIES  OF  THE  CHURCH 

eousness.  And  he  persevered  in  the  design,  while  conscience,  and 
the  dumb  ass  speaking,  reproved  his  madness.  But  God  loved  his 
people,  and  although  Balaam's  success  could  not  have  hurt  them, 
still  he  would  not  allow  his  impious  maledictions  to  contaminate 
the  atmosphere  that  breathed  through  the  camp  of  Israel.  After 
all  his  pompous  efforts,  he  pronounced  a  blessng  only,  and  the 
curse  lighted  upon  his  own  head.  He  perished  by  the  sword,  and 
went  to  his  own  place.  He  intended  one  thing,  and  God  another, 
and  he  failed  because  God  kept  a  bridle  upon  his  lips. 

So  Haman  was  hanged  upon  the  gallows  he  had  erected  for 
Mordecai,  and  the  foes  of  Daniel  were  food  for  the  beasts  of  prey 
that  would  not  devour  him.  In  the  bloody  scenes  of  Bethlehem, 
the  very  child  escaped  whom  Herod  would  have  slain,  and  the 
curse  of  God  fell  on  him.  If  time  permitted,  I  could  swell  this 
catalogue  of  facts,  indefinitely,  all  going  to  show,  how  terrible,  as 
well  as  sure,  are  God's  restraints. 

But  his  restraints  are  sometimes  merciful.  Saul  of  Tarsus  is  a 
happy  case.  He  set  out  with  the  fury  of  a  beast  of  prey,  and 
dragged  to  prison  and  to  death  all  that  loved  the  Lord  Jesus.  At 
leno-th  he  must  needs  go  to  Damascus,  and  try  his  zeal  upon  the 
laml)s  of  the  flock  in  that  region.  But  he  had  now  finished  his 
career  of  blood,  and  the  grace  of  God  arrested  him.  It  would  not 
longer  comport  with  the  Divine  purpose  to  permit  the  prowling 
wolf  to  range  among  the  sheep-folds. 

And  we  could  give  you,  had  we  time,  more  recent  facts,  of  both 
descriptions,  where  judgment  and  where  mercy  produced  restraint. 
Ask  the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  who  notice  and  record  such  facts, 
and  they  will  tell  you  of  many  a  man,  who  raved  against  God  and 
his  truth,  like  a  mad  bull  in  a  net,  up  to  the  time  when  God  sub- 
dued him  by  his  grace.  Or  they  will  turn  over  the  darker  page, 
and  tell  you  of  the  sweeps  of  death,  among  the  enemies  of  the  gos- 
pel, till  all  your  blood  would  chill.  In  some  fearful  instances,  a 
whole  gang  of  gospel  opposers,  infidel,  and  hardened,  and  despe- 
rate in  character,  have  perished,  in  such  rapid  succession,  as  not 
to  leave  a  doubt  behind,  whether  God  did  it  ]  or  why  he  did  it  1 
Men  have  found  a  grave  on  the  very  day  when  some  impious  vow 
atrainst  God  or  his  people  was  to  have  been  executed,  and  have 
roared  upon  their  beds,  when  they  have  learned,  too  late,  thattiieir 
sins  had  found  them  out.  We  might  not  say  at  their  funeral,  that 
they  liad  gone  to  their  own  place,  but  verily  we  thought  so,  and 
trembled.  We  have  seen  them  stripped  of  their  property  and 
their  influence,  at  the  moment  when  it  was  too  evident  to  doubt 


MADE   TO    PROMOTE    HER    INTERESTS.  21 

that  the  interests  of  the  Church  required  that  they  should  be 
brought  low. 

But  whether  the  divine  restraints  are  merciful  or  vindictive^  they 
are  sure.  Wicked  men  are  governed  by  the  same  voice  that  con- 
trols the  waves  of  the  sea.  "Hitherto  shalt  thou  come,  and  no 
farther ;  and  here  shall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed."  Till  cove- 
nant love  consent,  the  children  of  God  cannot  be  hurt  in  their  per- 
son, their  interest,  or  their  character,  by  the  ungodly.  A  plan  to 
injure  them  may  be  all  ripe  for  execution,  and  is  still  as  perfectly 
under  the  Divine  control  as  at  any  previous  moment.  Men  may 
gnash  their  teeth,  under  the  agonies  of  painful  disappointment,  and 
curse  the  hand  that  restrains  them,  but  God  will  not  be  moved 
from  his  purpose,  nor  abandon  one  of  his  little  ones,  if  he  must  de- 
stroy a  world  to  protect  him. 

5.  When  their  work  is  done,  as  God  intended  it  should  be,  he 
will  punish  them,  for  not  doing  his  pleasure  from  right  motives. 
This  doctrine  is  exhibited  with  the  greatest  distinctness  in  the 
history  of  Sennacherib.  When  the  Lord  had  performed  his  whole 
work  upon  Mount  Zion  and  on  Jerusalem,  he  would  punish  the 
fruit  of  the  stout  heart  of  the  king  of  Assyria,  and  the  glory  of 
his  high  looks.  So  it  was  threatened  Babylon  that  she  should  be 
brought  down  to  hell,  to  the  sides  of  the  pit.  And  all  the  other 
nations  which  were  the  rod  of  God's  anger  to  Israel,  and  accom- 
plished his  decrees,  perished  for  injuring  the  Church.  So  the  na- 
tions that  slew  the  martyrs,  although  they  fulfilled  the  purpose  of 
God,  are  yet  to  suffer,  and  perhaps  perish,  for  that  sin. 

And  all  the  finally  impenitent  will  go  on  accomplishing  the  de- 
crees of  God,  with  a  heart  that  meaneth  not  so,  and  when  their 
work  is  done  must  perish  because  all  their  motives  were  wrong. 
Devils  are  doing  the  same  thing,  accomplishing  God's  design 
without  intending  it.  And  now  the  question  is,  How  is  God  to  be 
vindicated  in  this  procedure  %  We  have  facts  in  the  case  still,  by 
which  this  question  can  be  settled. 

First,  "  he  meaneth  not  so."  There  was  no  design  in  that 
proud  monarch  to  do  the  divine  pleasure  ;  else  surely  he  would 
not  have  so  blasphemed  the  God  he  would  serve.  It  never  enters 
into  the  heart  of  the  ungodly  to  do,  what  ultimately  they  will  accom- 
plish. And  it  is  a  maxim  with  men,  and  why  not  with  God,  that 
we  deserve  neither  credit  nor  reward,  for  the  good  we  do  without 
intention.  Suppose  there  operate  no  very  ewj/ design  in  an  act  that 
works  our  good,  if  there  be  the  absence  of  a  design  to  do  us  a  kind- 
ness, we  feel  under  no  obligation  for  the  good  that  is  done. 


22  THE  ENEMIES  OF  THE  CHURCH 

In  a  dark  and  cold  night,  you  call  for  hospitality  at  the  door  of 
some  stranger,  but  you  are  denied  lodgings,  and  come  home,  and 
find  your  house  on  fire,  and  extinguish  the  flames,  and  save  your 
house,  and  your  family.  Do  you  thank  that  man,  for  the  kindness 
which  his  inhumanity  did  you  1  Does  he,  on  hearing  of  the  event, 
feel  that  you  are  obligated  to  him  1  Or  does  he  have  but  the 
deeper  sense  of  his  own  baseness  1  It  is  then  a  plain  case,  that 
God  can  give  his  creatures  no  credit,  if  they  serve  him  without  in- 
tention. 

2.  A  fact  in  the  case  must  be  noticed  ;  "  It  is  in  his  heart  to 
destroy  and  cut  of  nations  not  a  few."  Not  only  was  there  in  the 
heart  of  the  Assyrian,  no  good  motive,  but  there  was  a  motive 
positively  bad  ;  and  still  he  did  the  pleasure  of  God.  Hence,  why 
should  he  not  be  punished  1  And  why  should  not  all  ungodly  men 
be  punished,  though  it  shall  at  last  appear,  that  they  have  accom- 
plished the  divine  purposes  1  "  As  a  man  thinketh  in  his  heart, 
so  is  he."  One  gives  you  poison  intending  to  kill  you,  but  you 
have  some  obstinate  disease  upon  you,  and  the  poison  cures  you  ; 
is  he  the  less  a  murderer  1  Was  Mordecai  indebted  to  Haman  for 
his  advancement,  or  Daniel  to  the  princes  of  Babylon,  or  Joseph 
to  his  brethren  1 

Will  it  be  denied  that  all  unregenerate  men  act  from  wrong 
motives  1  Then  assuredly  their  motives  are  neither  positively  good 
nor  bad.  But  a  moral  agent  cannot  be  wholly  indifferent  with  re- 
gard to  God  and  his  law.  There  is  no  such  being  among  all  the 
creatures  of  God.  Our  motives  in  every  action  that  may  be  con- 
sidered moral,  must  be  positively  bad  or  positively  good.  Hence 
if  you  acknowledge  that  unrenewed  men  do  not  act  from  good 
motives,  and  this  must  be  true  or  they  are  Christians,  then  they  act 
from  bad  motives.     "  The  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  full  of  evil." 

Thus  every  unregenerate  man  is  thrown  upon  the  very  ground, 
where  stood  the  proud  and  impious  Assyrian.  Not  that  every 
man  is  accustomed  to  sin  with  that  boldness,  or  has  so  thrown  off 
restraint,  as  he  had  ;  but  there  is  in  his  heart,  while  God  is  ren- 
dering him  serviceable  to  his  people,  the  absence  of  a  good  motive, 
and  the  presence  of  a  motive  positively  bad.  And  if  we  allow 
this,  we  justify  God  in  his  dealings  with  the  Assyrian,  and  thus 
approve  of  the  principle  on  which  the  last  judgment  will  proceed. 
I  close  with 


1.  The  sovereignty  of  God,  and  the  agency  and  accountability  of  the 
sinner^  are  associate  truths.     In  the  passage  we  have  contemplated, 


MADE    TO    PROMOTE    HER    INTERESTS.  23 

God  makes  a  very  bad  man  do  his  pleasure,  and  still  pronounces 
him  free,  accountable  and  punishable,  in  these  very  deeds.  Hence 
sovereignty,  agency,  and  accountability,  concentre  in  the  very 
same  act ;  and  if  compatible  once,  then  are  they  kindred  truths 
for  ever;  and  what  God  has  thus  joined,  let  no  man  put  asunder. 
If  Sennacherib  could  do  what  God  intended  he  should,  and  yet  act 
freely,  and  deserve  punishment,  another  sinner  may,  and  every 
sinner  does.  I  will  give  you  one  parallel  text :  I  could  give  you 
many.  "  Him,  being  delivered  by  the  determinate  counsel  and 
foreknowledge  of  God,  ye  have  taken,  and  by  wicked  hands  have 
crucified  and  slain."  What,  did  God  determine  the  deed,  and 
still  their  hands  wicked  who  did  itl  Just  so  ;  or  the  mind  of  God 
has  been  very  unhappily  expressed. 

Do  sinners  still  ask,  "  Why  doth  he  yet  find  fault  V  We  an- 
swer, not  because  sinners  do  not  accomplish  his  purpose.  He 
never  thought  of  bringing  a  complaint  against  them  on  this  ground. 
He  will  take  care  that  his  purposes  be  accomplished.  But  he  has 
still  this  charge  against  them  that  they  mean  not  so.  To  please  God, 
men  must  not  merely  do  what  he  purposes  they  shall,  but  do  it 
with  an  intention  to  serve  and  honor  him.  He  has  a  right  to  the 
allegiance  of  the  heart.  The  meanest  parent  demands  this,  and 
thinks  his  child  disobedient  until  he  serves  him  with  design. 

2.  How  wrong  is  that  notion,  that  if  the  matter  of  an  action  be 
correct,  it  is  of  no  importance  what  is  the  motive.  In  the  scrap  of 
sacred  history  that  we  have  contemplated,  the  whole  result,  as 
bearing  upon  the  agent,  turns  on  the  motive.  The  Assyrian  cor- 
rected the  Lord's  people,  this  was  well ;  but  he  meant  not  so,  and 
this  was  the  source  of  his  ruin.  His  motive  was,  butchery,  spoil, 
and  dominion ;  this  brought  the  curse  of  God  upon  him.  He 
might  have  corrected  the  Lord's  people,  as  he  did ;  and  accom- 
plished his  purpose,  as  he  did  ;  and  been  now  in  heaven,  if  only 
he  had  meant  so. 

Thus  is  established  a  general  principle  of  the  divine  government ; 
the  motive  is  the  whole  that  God  will  notice.  If  men  will  be  care- 
ful on  this  one  point,  God  will  provide  for  the  residue.  'I  hey  need 
have  no  fears  that  his  decrees  will  not  be  done,  and  that  exactly 
as  he  determined  ;  but  the  motives  with  which  they  are  done,  will 
decide  the  destiny  of  every  agent  employed,  from  the  beginning 
of  the  creation  to  the  last  day. 

3.  God  did  not  create  intelligent  beings  merely  that  he  might  de- 
stroy them.  His  ministers  have  been  represented,  as  making  thii 
assertion;  or  advancing  sentiments  that  must  lead  to  this  result. 


24  THE  ENEMIES  OF  THE  CHUECH 

Now  the  sovereignty  of  God,  as  taught  in  this  discourse,  leads  to 
a  directly  opposite  result.  Here  we  see  him  employing  men,  of 
the  very  worst  character,  in  doing  good  ;  makes  them  correct  his 
people,  and  feed  them,  and  clothe  them,  and  sanctify  them,  and 
bless  them.  And  if  God  can  oblige  bad  men,  who  do  not  love 
him,  to  do  him  a  service  like  this,  and  still  leave  them  free,  and 
permit  them  to  be  as  happy  as  they  can  be,  and  will  at  last  merely 
demand  of  them  that  their  motives  were  good,  none  but  devils, 
and  men  desperately  hardened,  will  complain. 

They  all  have  liberty  to  attach  themselves  to  his  family,  and  be 
his  people,  and  be  served,  and  be  happy.  But  if  they  will  not  quit 
their  sins,  will  not  love  the  Savior,  and  will  not  serve  voluntarily, 
so  good  a  Master,  they  must  either  do  nothing,  that  shall  turn  to 
any  good  account,  or  God  must  employ  his  wisdom  and  his  power 
to  turn  all  they  do  into  a  blessing  to  his  people  ;  and  is  this  a 
hardship  1  For  my  life  I  cannot  see,  that  in  all  this  God  does  the 
impenitent  any  wrong.  Or  would  it  make  them  happy  to  know, 
that  on  their  way  to  perdition,  they  had  done  mischief  that  God 
himself  could  not  repair  ! ! 

I  should  think  from  what  I  know  of  God,  that  he  would  do  just 
so.  It  is  spoken  very  much  to  the  praise  of  Cromwell,  that  he 
could  employ  to  advantage  the  vilest  man  in  England.  And  it 
seems  to  me  that  every  good  man  must  be  glad,  as  every  angel 
is,  that  God  has  this  power,  and  this  wisdom.  "  And  again  they 
said.  Alleluia.     And  her  smoke  rose  up  for  ever  and  ever." 

If  any  would  prefer  not  to  serve  as  the  ungodly  do,  while  they 
mean  not  so,  but  prefer  to  do  the  voluntary  service  of  a  child,  they 
may,  and  this  is  the  very  thing  we  wish  and  what  God  wishes. 
You  need  not  build  a  Jerusalem,  in  which  you  are  not  to  dwell,  or 
a  temple  in  which  you  are  not  to  worship,  unless  you  prefer  the 
condition  of  a  slave,  to  that  of  a  son  or  daughter.  You  have  but 
to  come  in  at  the  invitation  of  the  Gospel,  and  you  may  in  an 
hour  belong  to  the  family  of  Christ. 

God  lets  you  do  what  you  please.  And  if  he  turns  your  mis- 
chief into  good,  this  cannot  hurt  you.  Serve  him  willingly,  and 
he  will  reward  you,  and  love  you.  0,  can  there  be  a  fairer  offer'? 
can  there  be  a  kinder  God  than  thisl  I  should  think  devils  would 
be  ashamed  to  complain  of  this  doctrine.  I  know  it  exalts  God, 
but  I  cannot  see,  if  the  life  of  my  soul  depended  on  it,  what  there 
is  hard,  or  cruel,  or  oppressive,  or  discouraging,  in  the  divine 
sovereignty.  If  men  choose  to  say,  that  God  is  not  sincere  in 
offering  them  mercy,  and  that  he   always  meant  to  destroy  them, 


MADE    TO    PROMOTE    HER    INTERESTS.  25 

after  making  them  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water  in  the 
camp  of  Israel,  and  that  they  have  only  to  serve  and  then  perish  ; — 
if  they  will  give  divine  truth  this  construction,  and  thus  pervert  it 
to  their  own  ruin,  we  have  only  to  leave  them  in  the  hands  of  a 
sovereign  God,  and  rejoice  that  he  is  not  the  Jehovah  they  sup- 
pose him  to  be. 

Finally,  this  subject  must  afford  comfort  to  God^s  people.  Here 
they  see  all  their  interests  identified  with  the  prosperity  of  God's 
kingdom,  and  he  determined  to  make  that  kingdom  happy,  and 
employing  for  this  purpose  all  beings  and  all  events.  If  their  ene- 
mies would  hurt  them,  he  puts  his  hook  in  their  nose,  and  his 
bridle  in  their  lips.  He  bids  them  "  fear  not,"  and  has  pledged 
his  word,  that  all  things  shall  work  together  for  their  good.  He 
will  guide  them  with  his  counsel,  and  afterward  receive  them  to 
glory. 

Ye  happy  believers,  my  soul  casts  in  her  lot  with  you.  The 
God  we  serve  is  a  gracious,  and  a  mighty  God.  He  rolls  along 
the  spheres,  guides  the  events  of  every  hour,  manages  the  wrath 
of  man,  and  the  rage  of  devils,  controls  every  storm,  and  directs 
the  course  of  every  atom.  He  is  known  in  the  palaces  of  Zion 
for  a  refuge,  and  his  name  is  a  strong  tower  into  which  you  may 
run  and  be  safe,  whenever  alarm  comes  over  you. 

It  was  in  the  confidence  which  this  very  doctrine  inspires,  that 
the  Psalmist  could  say,  "  Though  an  host  should  encamp  against 
me,  my  heart  shall  not  fear."  A  people  so  shielded,  so  served, 
and  so  beloved,  can  want  only  a  song,  equal  to  the  gratitude  they 
owe  their  Lord.  They  may  keep  at  their  Master's  work,  high 
in  the  confidence  that  he  will  never  leave  them,  never  forsake 
them.     Amen. 


SERMON   XLIII. 
WRATH  CONQUERED  BY  LOVE. 

ROMANS    XII.    21. 

Be  not  overcome  of  evil,  but  overcome  evil  with  good. 

A  VERY  good  man  once  said,  "  If  there  is  any  one  particular  tem- 
per I  desire  more  than  another,  it  is  the  grace  of  meekness  ;  quiet- 
ly to  bear  ill  treatment,  to  forget  and  forgive  ;  and  at  the  same 
time  that  I  am  sensible  I  am  injured,  not  to  be  overcome  of  evil, 
but  to  overcome  evil  with  good."  But  this  sentiment,  be  it  re- 
membered, could  be  learned  only  from  heaven.  It  did  not  belong 
to  the  systems  of  heathen  philosophy.  In  them  it  was  taught,  that 
to  forgive,  till  revenge  had  been  taken,  was  weakness.  To  swear 
undying  wrath,  and  plot  the  most  summary  redress,  and  sleep  not 
till  the  enterprise  was  accomplished,  all  this  was  the  height  of  vir- 
tue. And  above  this  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  unsanctified  hu- 
man nature  will  rise.  Hence  every  unchristian  land  is  a  field  of 
blood.  "  The  dark  places  of  the  earth  are  full  of  the  habitations 
of  cruelty." 

At  the  dawn  of  the  age  of  mercy,  a  Pliny  said,  but  had  learned 
the  sentiment  from  that  very  religion  he  affected  to  despise,  "  I 
esteem  him  the  best  good  man,  who  forgives  others,  as  though  he 
were  every  day  faulty  himself;  and  who  at  the  same  time  abstains 
fr"om  faults,  as  if  he  pardoned  no  one."  But  it  was  one  from  hea- 
ven, who  had  long  enjoyed  the  harmony  of  happy  spirits,  and  had 
himself  the  power  to  mould  the  hearts  of  men  into  his  owti  image  ; 
who  came  down  in  all  the  amiablcness  of  God,  and  taught  the 
world  principles  of  kindness  ;  that  to  forgive  is  possible,  and  that 
the  meek  are  blessed.  His  conduct  accorded  with  his  principles. 
When  smitten  on  the  one  cheek  he  turned  the  other.  When  led 
as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  he  opened  not  his  mouth,  and  when 
nailed  to  the  tree,  he  merely  prayed  for  those  who  drove  the  nails, 
and  plead  in  their  behalf  that  they  knew  not  what  they  did.  When 
he  quit  the  world,  he  made  it  one  of  his  last  acts,  to  engrave  upon 


WRATH   CONQUERED    BY    LOVE.  27 

the  hearts  of  his  followers,  as  with  the  point  of  a  diamond  upon  a 
rock,  the  very  next  text  1  have  read  you.  Its  spirit  has  constitut- 
ed ever  since,  and  will  while  the  earth  is  blessed  with  a  trace  of 
his  religion,  the  leading  and  prominent  social  virtue  of  his  people. 
It  is  that  feature  of  their  Master  which  if  they  do  not  wear,  they 
cannot  now  be  recognized,  nor  can  be  known  when  they  come  to 
heaven. 

Suffer  me  to  make  three  inquiries.  When  may  it  be  considered 
that  one  is  overcome  of  evil  ]  How  may  we  save  ourselves  from 
the  shame  and  the  injury  of  being  thus  vanquished!  and,  How 
may  we  overcome  evil  with  good  1 

I.  When  may  it  be  considered  that  one  is  overcome  of  evil  ?  This 
is  a  calamity  that  may  doubtless  happen  to  the  good  man,  but  is 
a  matter  of  every  day's  occurrence  to  the  multitudes  of  the  un- 
godly.    I  remark,  then,  that  a  man  is  overcome  of  evil, 

1.  When  ill  treaatment  excites  the  angry  passions,  and  produces 
harsh  and  ill  natured  language.  In  this  snare  unsanctified  men  are 
caught  daily.  Even  men  of  correct  habits  are  sometimes  surpris- 
ed by  sudden  and  unexpected  abuse,  and  rage  when  they  should 
reason.  But  in  every  such  case  much  is  lost,  and  nothing  gained. 
To  lose  our  recollection  and  temper,  and  thus  be  brought  down  to 
a  level  with  the  man,  whom  we  should  rather  have  held  in  digni- 
fied and  Christian  contempt,  is  to  be  in  a  very  uncomfortable  sense 
overcome  or  conquered.  This  unhappy  result  was  perhaps  the 
very  design  of  the  onset.  The  foe  has  gained  his  whole  object, 
and  his  antagonist  is  vanquished. 

2.  One  is  still  more  completely  overcome  of  evil,  when  he  settles 
down  into  confirmed  hatred  of  the  offender.  He  gives  place  to  the 
devil,  and  lets  the  sun  go  down  upon  his  wrath.  By  suffering 
anger  to  rest  in  his  bosom,  he  becomes  in  God's  esteem  a  fool. 
His  passions  have  the  mastery  over  him,  and  he  becomes  and  re- 
mains a  conquered  man.  And  as  he  pores  again  and  again  over 
the  insult  that  at  first  unmanned  him,  and  thus  deepens  the  tone 
of  his  anger,  he  may  be  seen  in  a  figure  putting  chains  upon  him- 
self, and  rivetting  the  very  fetters  that  bind  him.  Hardly  may  he 
be  said  to  wish  an  escape  from  his  bondage,  or  to  make  the  least 
effort  to  break  the  chain  that  holds  him.  And  not  the  miseries  of 
an  Algerine  bondage,  could  more  jade  the  spirits  or  vex  the  heart. 
It  may  be,  too,  that  the  foe  was  one  whom  in  his  calmer  moments 
he  would  disdain  to  set  with  the  dogs  of  his  flock.  Yet  he  has 
done  the  very  deed  he  intended  to  do,  and  glories  in  his  victory. 


28  WRATH    CON(^UERED    BY    LOVE. 

How  unhappy,  that  one  should   be  thus  rendered  a  captive  and  a 
slave,  by  suffering  his  passions  to  rise  upon  him,  and  bind  him. 

3.  One  is  overcome  of  evil  when  he  indulges  designs  of  revenge. 
The  Divine  injunction  is,  that  we  return  good  for  evil,  that  we 
love  them  that  hate  us,  and  pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use  us. 
If  the  enemy  hunger  we  are  to  feed  him,  if  he  thirst  we  are  to 
give  him  drink,  and  thus  heap  coals  of  fire  on  his  head.  By  no 
other  means  can  we  so  readily  conquer  our  foes.  We  use  in  this 
case  a  weapon  whose  thrust  they  can  neither  parry  nor  endure, 
under  which  they  melt  and  perish. 

But  when  we  take  the  opposite  course,  and  return  evil  for  evil, 
we  grant  the  foe  a  victory.  We  suffer  ourselves  to  be  driven  from 
the  delightful  duty  of  doing  good  to  all  men,  the  only  post  where 
we  can  be  happy.  The  foe  who  invades  our  land,  and  drives  us 
from  our  farm  and  our  home,  has  not  gained  a  point,  to  him  more 
dear,  or  to  us  more  disastrous  ;  for  not  the  family  and  the  fireside 
yield  us  better  comforts  than  the  habit  of  doing  good  as  we  have 
opportunity.  No  wealth  will  buy  a  luxury  like  it.  Money  will 
purchase  food,  and  raiment,  and  ease,  and  influence.  But  the 
habit  of  blessing  others  with  kindnesses,  of  making  glad  every 
heart  about  us,  this  is  angel's  food.  The  recollection  of  good 
done,  can  make  calm  the  surges  of  adversity,  and  render  light  the 
gloomiest  evening.  It  has  produced  a  smile  upon  the  brow  of 
death. 

It  is  when  nothing  can  hinder  us  from  doing  good,  that  we  are 
like  God.  He  sends  rain  upon  the  just  and  upon  the  unjust.  Now 
who  will  deny,  that  when  injuries  prevent  us  from  acting  like  (}od, 
we  are  overcome  of  evil.  We  cease  then,  for  the  time  being,  to 
have  any  right  to  say,  that  we  are  the  children  of  our  Father  in 
heaven,  who  causeth  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good. 
And  what  result  more  painful,  and  more  degrading,  could  any  foe 
desire,  than  thus  to  dislodge  us  from  all  the  comforts  and  privileg- 
es of  adoption. 

4.  We  are  overcome  of  evil,  when  the  ill  treatmenU  of  one.,  leads 
us  to  suspect  the  friendship  of  others.  If  to  some  extent  it  should 
be  the  fact,  that  suffering  one  instance  of  abuse,  should  draw  up- 
on us  the  necessity  of  suffering  other  abuses,  and  the  treachery 
of  one  friend  make  others  treacherous  ;  still  this  is  far  oftener 
true  in  imagination  than  in  reality.  In  the  gloomy  moments  of 
suffering  injury,  we  are  often  induced  to  believe  a  lie.  An  indi- 
vidual may  treat  us  rudely  and  unkindly,  and  he  may  be  the  only 
one  in  the  whole  circle  of  our  acquaintance,  who  would  be  willing 


WRATH    CONQUERED    BY    LOVE.  29 

to  injure  us.  The  contrary  apprehension  is  begotten  by  the 
gloominess  of  the  mind.  And  we  are  sometimes  so  ungenerous 
as  to  believe  ouuselves  abandoned  by  a  whole  list  of  friends, 
because  one  has  proved  treacherous.  Thus  we  are  plunged  into 
distress,  are  ready  to  say  that  all  men  are  liars,  and  by  our  ground- 
less suspicion,  and  consequent  coldness  and  distrust,  produce  the 
very  miseries  we  forebode.  Our  apprehensions  are  the  very  de- 
mons that  break  the  tie  of  friendship,  and  dissolve  the  bonds  of 
brotherhood.  They  beget  distance,  caution,  jealousy,  and  neglect, 
and  the  result  is  abandonment  and  hatred.  Thus  in  an  evil  hour 
we  draw  upon  ourselves  the  very  miseries  we  might  avoid,  and 
the  foe  is  suffered  to  inflict  a  wound  deeper  and  deadlier  than  he 
had  hoped  to.  The  bonds  of  friendship  are  sundered,  the  peace 
of  the  mind  is  destroyed,  the  interests  of  Zion  are  injured,  and 
the  foe  sits  and  smiles  in  his  ambush  at  the  miseries  we  inflict  up- 
on ourselves.     We  are  overcome  of  evil. 

5.  We  are  more  yet  completely  overcome  of  evil,  when  abuse 
begets  habitual  sourness  of  temper.  When  God  does  not  prevent  by 
his  grace,  long  protracted  injuries,  inflicted  by  insidious  foes,  are 
prone  to  produce  this  unhappy  result.  The  spirits  are  jaded  by 
adversity,  and  become  expert  in  transferring  odium  from  one  per- 
son or  thing  to  another,  till  very  soon  it  can  be  expanded  over  the 
whole  creation  of  God.  There  is  begotten  an  acid  temper,  and 
the  very  landscape  is  robed  in  gloom.  The  irritated  master 
wreaks  his  vengeance  upon  the  unoffending  slave.  The  innocent 
child  dreads  the  return  of  his  ill  natured  father,  and  the  very  wife 
turns  pale,  when  some  foe  has  kindled  anger  in  the  bosom  of  her 
husband.  The  indulgence  of  one  unkind  affection,  like  some  lep- 
rosy, infuses  its  poison  through  the  whole  soul.  The  eye  it  looks 
through  becomes  a  contaminated  medium,  and  transfers  its  own 
disease  to  every  object  of  its  vision.  The  man  had  a  friendly 
heart,  but  he  becomes  a  misanthrope;  he  did  enjoy  society,  but 
would  now  be  content  with  a  hermitage ;  he  prized  Christian  fel- 
lowship, but  he  doubts  now  whether  piety  itself  can  make  an  hon- 
est man.     How  evidently  is  such  a  man  overcome  of  evil. 

6.  One  is  overcome  of  evil,  when  he  attempts  unnecessarily  a  pub' 
lie  vindication  of  his  character.  I  say  unnecessarily^  for  it  cannot 
be  denied  that  a  good  man,  without  his  wish,  may  be  forced  into 
such  a  measure.  Often  is  this  the  very  object  which  some  mali- 
cious foe  would  accomplish.  He  knows  perhaps,  what  is  too  true, 
that  the  best  character  will  suffer  by  handling,  and  when  he  cannot 
catch  the  good  man  in  crime,  will  compass  his  wishes  if  he  can  so 


30  WRATH   CONQTTEfiED   BY   LOVE. 

fix  imputation,  as  to  force  him  to  go  into  '  proof  of  his  inno- 
cence. Conscious  that  he  cannot  himself  establish  the  positive^  he 
would  put  the  virtue  he  hates  upon  proving  the  negative,  or  of 
perishing. 

He  issues  his  libel,  invents  circumstances  that  shall  favor  it, 
employs  all  the  truth  he  can,  in  corroboration  of  his  falsehood,  and 
where  truth  fails  to  fill  out  the  picture,  he  scruples  not  to  employ 
a  lie.  He  would  try  both  your  temper  and  your  reputation. 
Screened  from  view,  he  would  cast  filth  upon  you,  and  amuse  him- 
self and  others  to  see  you  wipe  it  of[.  He  hopes  there  may  be 
some  spot  indelible,  or  that  you  may  sin  in  the  act  of  establishing 
your  innocence. 

Now  the  snare  is  laid.  But  calmness,  and  reflection,  and  prayer, 
may  easily  be  victorious.  Good  character  cannot  be  hurt  but  by 
its  owner.  The  tongue  of  slander  may  injure  for  a  moment  the 
stranger,  but  good  conduct  will  invariably  sustain  good  character 
And  it  has  come  at  length  to  be  noted  as  a  suspicious  circum- 
stance, when  we  court  the  aid  of  law  and  counsel  to  defend  our 
reputation.  It  was  a  shrewd  remark  of  Dr.  Mather,  "  The  malice 
of  an  ill  tongue  cast  upon  a  good  character,  is  like  a  mouthful  of 
smoke  blown  upon  a  diamond,  which  at  present  may  obscure  its 
beauty,  but  is  easily  rubbed  off  and  the  gem  restored  to  its  pristine 
lustre."  "  Depraved  as  the  world  is,"  said  a  man  of  long  experi- 
ence, "  let  them  have  your  character,  and  though  they  may  handle 
it  roughly,  they  will  ultimately  restore  it  whole  as  they  found  it." 
But  let  them  see  that  their  attacks  enrage  you,  and  put  you  off 
your  guard,  or  place  you  in  a  quixotic  attitude  of  arming  yourself 
for  a  conflict  with  a  shadow,  and  their  object  is  accomplished,  and 
you  are  overcome  of  evil. 

II.  How  may  we  save  ourselves  from  the  shame  and  injury  of  being 
thus  vanquished!  It  is  possible,  no  doubt,  to  obey  the  injunction 
of  the  text,  as  well  as  any  other  in  the  whole  list  of  precepts. 
There  are  exertions  which  if  we  make,  with  a  proper  sense  of  our 
dependence  on  God,  will  enable  us  in  the  most  evil  daj^  to  stand. 
Let  us  then,  in  the 

1.  Place,  bear  it  strongly  in  mind.  That  he  who  would  designedly  in- 
jure us,  does  himself  a  greater  injury.  There  is  in  nature,  or  rather 
in  the  divine  purpose,  a  principle  of  prompt  and  powerful  reaction. 
Let  one  attack  your  character,  and  sure  as  life  he  hurts  his  own. 
Let  him  spread  an  ill  report,  and  that  report  will  recoil  upon  his  own 
reputation.     He  will  be  considered  a  slanderer.     If  one  act  will 


WRATH  CONQUERED  BY  LOVE.  31 

not  fix  upon  him  this  stigma,  that  very  impunity  will  induce  him 
to  repeat  the  deed,  till  the  character  he  deserves  will  adhere  to  him. 
Thus  he  suffers,  and  not  you. 

Or  would  he  merely  disturb  your  peace,  let  him  but  alone,  and 
his  own  peace  is  injured  more  than  yours.  God  can  give  you  a 
peace,  that  nothing  can  disturb.  If  you  must  unjustly  suffer,  God 
can  support  you  and  comfort  you,  but  this  he  will  not  do  for  the 
ntian  who  wrongs  you.  His,  on  reflection,  will  be  the  shame,  and 
the  guilt,  and  the  remorse,  of  a  deed  which  God  will  not  justify. 
The  wound  he  intended  for  you,  will  rankle  in  his  own  bosom. 

Now  if  the  man  who  intended  to  injure  us,  has  wounded  himself, 
then  we  should  pity  him,  and  pray  for  him,  and  not  study  a  dupli- 
cate revenge.  There  opens  upon  us  the  delightful  opportunity,  to 
bind  up  his  wounds,  and  pour  in  oil  and  wine,  and  we  may  have 
luxury  to  forget  and  forgive — a  luxury  which  the  whole  herd  of 
evil  doers  never  tasted. 

Or  be  it  our  temporal  interest  they  would  hurt,  or  our  influence, 
there  is  but  this  one  issue  to  all  the  operations  of  malevolence — 
the  curse  lights  upon  the  perpetrators.  Their  violent  dealings 
shall  come  down  upon  their  own  head.  They  are  taken  in  their 
own  snare. 

2.  If  we  resist  evil,  we  are  invariably  injured.  The  foe  is  the 
more  courageous,  the  more  fierce  and  prompt  the  repulse  he  meets 
with.  He  exhibits  now  a  prowess  that  he  could  never  have  sum- 
moned, had  he  coped  with  mere  non-resistance.  A  slanderous  re- 
port is  repeated  and  magnified,  because  it  has  been  wrathfully 
contradicted.  The  presumption  is  that  when  the  mis-statement 
shall  have  varied  its  shape  and  attitude,  it  can  be  imposed  upon 
the  credulous  as  a  new  fact,  that  shall  go  to  corroborate  the  old. 
And  let  resistance  be  kept  up,  and  soon  the  insulated  charge  be- 
comes a  long  catalogue  of  crimes,  that  go  to  establish  each  other, 
and  render  unquestionable  the  whole  series  of  allegations.  Now 
it  is  hoped  that  the  world  will  say,  such  a  host  of  imputations 
cannot  want  for  some  foundation  in  fact.  The  charge  of  intem- 
perance corroborates  that  of  fraud  and  falsehood.  The  testimony 
of  two  liars,  when  they  substantially  agree,  and  there  has  been  no 
concert,  may  establish  the  truth. 

Thus  charges  which  are  all  false,  and  are  multiplied  by  resist- 
ance, are  made  to  prop  each  other,  till  there  is  begotten  suspicion 
that  never  need  have  been.  And  the  needless  attempt  at  investi- 
gation fixes  the  impression,  that  character  is  crumbling,  and  that  a 
still  bolder  push  will  be  accompanied  with  comolete  success.  Thus 


32  WRATH    CONQtTERED    BY   LOVE. 

by  wrestling  \vith  the  blast,  we  are  liable  to  be  discomfited,  when 
had  we  lain  down  and  been  quiet,  the  storm  would  have  beat  upon 
us  a  little,  and  passed  over,  and  we  should  have  seen  the  sun  again 
in  all  his  brightness.  The  foe  intended  to  render  us  unhappy,  and 
he  learns  that  he  has,  and  hopes  most  cordially  that  another  onset 
may  undo  us.  But  let  him  see  that  you  remain  unmoved,  that  his 
attack  has  not  even  discomposed  you,  that  you  are  invulnerable  as 
the  rock,  and  he  must  be  the  veriest  idiot  if  he  draws  Einother  arrow 
from  his  quiver.     Hence,  said  the  poet, 

"  Tempest  will  rive  the  siiffest  oak, 
Cedars  with  all  their  pride  are  broke, 
Beneath  the  fury  of  that  stroke. 
Which  never  harms  the  willows." 

3.  It  will  calm  us  in  an  hour  of  onset.,  to  feel  that  wicked  men  are 
God^s  sword.  From  him  we  deserve  all  the  evil  that  the  most 
malicious  foe  can  inflict.  True,  men  are  none  the  less  free  agents, 
and  accountable,  because  they  are  the  rod  and  the  staff  in  the 
hand  of  the  Lord.  But  it  would  argue  a  want  of  submission  to 
parental  restraint,  should  the  child  seem  angry  at  the  rod.  It  is 
our  consolation  to  know  that  God  holds  our  enemies  in  his  hand, 
directs  every  wound  they  shall  inflict,  and  has  promised  to  restrain 
their  wrath,  when  it  will  not  praise  him.  He  has  put  his  hook  in 
their  nose,  and  his  bridle  in  their  lips,  and  will  in  due  time,  when 
he  has  sufficiently  humbled  his  people,  lead  their  enemies  back  by 
the  way  that  they  came. 

Hence,  when  ungodly  men  would  do  us  injury,  it  should  rather 
awaken  our  pity ybr  them,  than  our  anger  against  them.  We  have 
a  divine  illustration  exactly  in  point,  and  conscious  ill  desert  should 
ever  lead  us  to  say  with  David,  in  reference  to  Shimei,  "  Let  him 
curse,  for  the  Lord  hath  bidden  him."  "  Why  doth  a  living  man 
complain,  a  man  for  the  punishment  of  his  sins  ]"  If  the  men  who 
injure  us  are  to  be  the  instruments  o(  our  sanctification,  and  then, 
unless  the  grace  of  God  interpose,  are  to  be  the  objects  of  his 
everlasting  displeasure,  be  their  designs  never  so  base,  how  can 
we  feel  otherwise  than  pitiful  and  kind  ? 

4.  ft  will  be  a  timely  and  sweet  reflection,  for  a  period  of  abuse, 
that  ill-treatment  is  among  the  all  things  thai  shall  work  together  for 
our  good.  Trials  may  come  from  a  quarter  unexpected,  and  from 
those  who  owe  us  the  kindest  treatment.  We  took  sweet  counsel 
with  them,  and  went  to  the  house  of  God  in  company.  Be  it  even 
so,  still  faith  assures  us   that  their  injuries  will  bless  us,  will  sane- 


WRATH    COXQUERED    BY    LOVE.  33 

tify  us,  and  help  us  on  in  our  preparation  for  the  enjoyment  of 
God  in  his  kingdom.  This  one  question  settled,  and  I  will  inflict 
no  wound  upon  my  adversary.  He  is  doing  me  everlasting  good, 
and  though  he  mean  not  so,  still  I  cannot  injure  him  who  is  con- 
strained to  be  my  benefactor.  I  will  forgive  him  before  he  asks 
forgiveness,  and  will  exert  myself  to  induce  him  to  pass  on  to 
heaven  with  me.  And  if  unsuccessful,  still  the  promise,  "  I  will 
never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee,"  will  bear  my  spirits  up  through 
the  darkest  and  dreariest  hour. 

5.  It  should  ever  he  our  reflection  in  the  hour  of  attack,  that  to  be 
like  Christ,  we  must  not  resist  evil.  "  He  was  led  as  a  lamb  to  the 
slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  opened 
not  his  mouth."  He  passed  meekly  through  torrents  of  abuse. 
It  poured  in  upon  him,  wave  after  wave,  but  he  stood,  a  rock. 
Wlien  they  would  catch  him  in  his  words,  he  spoke  wisely  and 
kindly.  When  they  would  stone  him,  he  inquired  for  Avhich  of 
his  kind  deeds  they  did  it.  When  that  fiend  of  midnight  betrayed 
him,  after  joining  in  the  Pascal  supper,  and  having  long  borne  the 
badge  of  discipleship,  how  meekly  he  inquired,  "  Betrayest  thou 
the  Son  of  Man  with  a  kiss  V  Now  would  we  be  followers  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  the  track  is  plain ;  we  must  not  suffer  ourselves  to  be 
overcome  of  evil. 

Finally,  there  is  the  direct  command  of  God.  No  precept  can  be 
more  binding  than  the  text.  To  indulge  a  vindictive  spirit  is  an 
infringement  upon  the  Divine  prerogative.  "Vengeance  is  mine, 
I  will  repay,  saith  the  Lord."  There  is  a  day  of  retribution  ap- 
pointed, and  one  is  constituted  judge  who  cannot  err.  In  the  hour 
of  conflict  we  have  only  to  refer  men  to  that  day  when  every 
wrong  will  be  rectified.  And  if  our  sufferings  are  prolonged,  still 
the  years  of  heaven  will  run  on  till  they  are  all  forgotten.  A 
Christian  is  but  a  pardoned  rebel,  and  may  not  avenge  himself. 
And  all  others  may  well  fear  to  be  vindictive,  lest  wrath  come 
upon  them  to  the  uttermost.  With  the  same  measure  that  we 
mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to  us  again. 

III.  How  may  we  overcome  evil  with  good  ?  To  do  this  will  re- 
quire the  sacrifice  of  bad  passions.  The  unrenewed  heart  has  a 
keen  relish  for  revenge.  Not  the  most  delicious  food  pleases  the 
palate  better.  But  this  malicious  appetite  the  grace  of  God  must 
subdue,  ere  the  heaven-born  principle  in  the  text  can  be  adopted : 
a  sufficient  reason  why  the  heathen  have  never  imbibed  the  spirit 
of  meekness.     Parents  taught  their  children  to  retain  anger.     In- 

VOL.  II  5 


34  WRATH    CONQUERED    BY    LOVE. 

Stance  the  father  of  Annibal,  whose  dying  injunction  to  his  son 
was,  that  he  should  never  forgive  the  Romans  :  this  precept  he 
must  swear  he  would  obey.  And  many  children  learn  of  their 
parents  now  the  same  lesson.  They  are  apt  to  learn,  and  they 
often  have  precept  and  practice  to  teach  them.  "  Cursed  parents  ! 
Cursed  children  !" 

But  let  the  heart  be  once  subdued  by  the  grace  of  God,  and  the 
lesson  of  the  text  is  easily  learned.  The  doctrine  is  simply  this. 
If  one  treats  us  unkindly,  we  must  treat  him  well.  If  he  defame, 
let  us  say  the  kindest  things  possible  of  him.  If  he  hurt  our  in- 
terest, let  us  advance  his.  If  he  expose  our  faults,  let  us  cover 
his.  If  he  will  not  oblige  us,  we  must  do  kindnesses  to  him.  If 
he  deals  reproach,  we  must  practice  no  retort.  If  he  curse  us  Ave 
must  pray  for  him  ;  if  he  hunger  we  must  feed  him,  and  if  he  thirst 
give  him  drink.  If  he  smite  us  on  the  one  cheek,  turn  the  other. 
In  one  word,  when  he  has  done  his  best  to  injure  us,  let  us  do  our 
best  to  bless  and  comfort  him. 

It  may  be  well,  when  possible,  to  do  another  good  in  the  very 
article  in  which  he  has  intended  our  hurt.  This  will  be  entering 
the  list  with  him,  and  will  bring  our  virtues  into  a  close  compari- 
son with  his  iniquities  ;  thus  shall  we  heap  coals  of  fire  on  his 
head,  and  he  be  not  a  rock,  shall  melt  and  subdue  him.  When  we 
would  overcome  an  enemy  with  kindness,  we  make  his  conscience 
our  ally,  and  bring  him  to  hate  himself  and  respect  us.  Then  his 
weapons  recoil  upon  his  own  head,  and  his  violent  dealings  come 
down  upon  his  own  pate.     We  conquer  him  by  love. 

But  in  every  effort  of  this  nature  we  must  feel  ki?idlj/.  A  coun- 
terfeit affection  will  not  bear  us  through.  The  heart  must  be 
primarily  consulted  in  every  such  act  of  Christian  revenge.  Else 
the  hypocrisy  will  be  evident,  and  the  defeat  certain.  When  Paul 
said  to  the  high  priest,  who  had  commanded  him  to  be  unlawfully 
smitten,  "  God  shall  smite  thee,  thou  whited  wall,"  he  neither 
obeyed  the  injunction  of  the  text,  nor  was  in  a  proper  state  of 
mind  to  obey  it.  Not  even  piety  will  render  it  certain  that  we 
shall  feel  kindly  under  abuse.  In  the  blessed  Jesus  we  have  the 
only  example  that  never  failed.  He  was  proof  against  every 
attack.  The  only  case  in  which  he  exhibited  the  appearance  of 
anger,  was  when  his  Father's  house  was  made  a  den  of  thieves ; 
and  then  he  was  angry  without  sin.  Let  our  temper  be  like  his, 
and  we  shall  find  it  easy  to  do  right ;  and  to  be  like  him,  we  are 
infinitely  obligated. 

It  may  greatly  help  us,  when  we  come  in   contact  with  unhal- 


WRATH    CONQUERED    BY    LOVE.  35 

lowed  passions,  to  reflect,  that  not  certainly  is  the  man  our  enemy, 
v/ho  may  be  tempted  to  treat  us  uniiindly.  When  he  has  done  us 
this  one  injury,  if  we  bear  it  with  a  Christian  temper,  he  may  re- 
main kindly  disposed  to  us,  may  become  a  firm  and  steady  friend : 
while  our  wrath  and  revenge  may  erect  him  into  a  subtle  and  dan- 
gerous enemy.  He  may  have  made  his  onset  upon  us  in  an  hour 
of  irritation,  and  may  be  in  an  hour,  more  ashamed  of  himself  than 
we  are  of  him. 

Is  the  offender  an  ungodly  man,  there  is  a  single  thought  that 
must  prepare  us  to  meet  his  rage  with  calmness.  He  has  no 
treasure  in  the  heavens.  He  is  passing  on  to  the  blackness  of 
darkness  for  ever.  We  shall  see  him  when  a  few  days  have  gone 
by,  unless  the  grace  of  God  prevent,  covered  with  shame  and  con- 
fusion. His  harvest  will  be  passed  and  his  summer  ended,  and  he 
not  saved.  And  can  we  be  angry  to-day  with  one  who  is  to  perish 
to-morrow  1  Can  any  sensation  but  pity  control  us,  while  we  see 
a  deluded  man  raving  on  the  very  threshold  of  perdition  1 

Or  is  the  offender  a  Christian,  then  how  it  should  shame  us  to 
become  angry  with  him.  Angry  with  a  brother,  a  follower  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  !  He  could  not  intend  me  wrong  ;  his  judgment  erred  ; 
he  will  ask  forgiveness,  before  the  sun  goes  down,  of  God  and  of 
me.  The  followers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  bite  and  devour  one  an- 
other!  "  0,  tell  it  not  in  Gath  ;  publish  it  not  in  the  streets  of 
Askalon  !'*  The  Savior  must  not  be  so  wounded  in  the  house  of 
his  friends.  Let  me  have,  I  will  not  say  my  religion,  let  me  have 
my  reason  in  exercise,  and  I  will  bear  any  thing  from  a  child  of 
God.  For  my  right  hand,  I  will  not  raise  it  against  one  who  is 
heir  with  me  to  an  inheritance  in  the  skies,  and  is  to  help  me 
adore  the  Lamb  for  ever.  Joint  heirs  with  Jesus  Christ !  what  a 
binding  influence  has  this  thought  upon  Christian  hearts. 

REMARKS. 

1,  How  highly  should  we  value  our  Bibles  which  teach  us  this 
amiable  lesson.  But  for  this  book,  we  had  never  learned  how  to  re- 
ceive an  injury,  or  forgive  one.  It  belongs  not  to  human  nature, 
untaught  from  heaven,  to  invent  such  a  sentiment  as  the  text.  Our 
parents  had  been  fierce  and  cruel,  and  they  had  taught  us  to  be 
implacable,  had  not  the  Bible  been  the  associate  of  our  home. 
And  how  this  one  heavenly  principle  lessens  the  miseries  of  hu- 
man life  !  How  many  the  wrongs  it  obliterates,  and  how  many  of 
the  social  endearments  it  begets  !  Precious  book,  be  thou  the  in- 
mate of  my  bosom,  till  the  spirit  shall  quit  its  house  of  clay  ! 

2.  This  subject  will  teach  us  to  pity  the  heathen.     Their  end- 


36  .  WRATH    CONQUERED    BY    LOVE. 

less  quarrels  are  because  they  have  no  Bible.  They  would  let 
their  children,  their  Avidows,  their  sick,  and  their  aged  live,  if  they 
had  a  Bible.  They  would  forgive  their  enemies  and  be  meek,  and 
benevolent,  and  gracious,  had  they  not  been  Avithout  the  book  that 
teaclies  these  heavenly  lessons.  Send  them  a  few  of  your  Bibles, 
and  they  will  soon  beat  their  swords  into  plowshares,  and  their 
spears  into  pruning-hooks,  and  those  vast  fields  of  blood  will  be 
transformed  into  the  garden  of  the  Lord.  He  will  accompany  his 
word  with  his  Spirit. 

3.  How  happy  the  period  of  the  Millenium.  The  Bible  will 
then  have  its  legitimate  influence,  and  there  will  prevail  the  very 
spirit  inculcated  in  the  text.  In  what  noble  figures  does  the 
prophet  teach  us  this  truth,  "  The  wolf  also  shall  dwell  with  the 
lamb,  and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid  ;  and  the  calf  and 
the  young  lion  and  the  fatling  together  ;  and  a  little  child  shall 
lead  them.  And  the  cow  and  the  bear  shall  feed ;  their  young 
ones  shall  lie  dov/n  together  ;  and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the 
ox.  And  the  sucking  child  shall  play  on  the  hole  of  the  asp,  and 
the  weaned  child  shall  put  his  hand  on  the  cocatrice-den.  They 
shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  my  holy  mountain  :  for  the  earth 
shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  as  the  waters  cover  the 
sea."  You  have  often  read  this  precious  text.  How  happy  the 
eyes  that  are  not  closed  upon  the  scenes  of  life,  till  that  sweet 
morning  has  come,  and  all  these  tumults,  that  keep  this  world  a 
wilderness,  have  subsided  i  May  some  favored  child  of  mine  live 
to  see  that  happy  period. 

4.  Let  us  learn,  brethren,  whether  that  day  approaches.  It  will 
not  burst  upon  us  in  a  moment.  There  will  be  a  gradual  increase 
of  that  spirit  which  the  text  inculcates  ;  till  every  parent  will  teach 
it  to  his  children,  and  every  child  will  love  to  learn.  From  the 
family  circle  it  will  spread  out  over  the  whole  land,  and  render  it 
Immanuel's  land,  a  mountain  of  holiness  and  a  habitation  of  right- 
eousness. Do  we  see  an  increase  of  this  spirit  \  Do  we  feel  it  in 
our  hearts  \  Does  it  go  out  to  view  in  our  daily  deportment  ! 
Then  the  day  approaches. 

5.  This  subject  will  try  our  piety.  Can  we  overcome  evil  with 
good  1  Does  the  tiger  or  the  lamb,  predominate  in  our  social  in- 
tercourse! When  we  receive  abuse,  with  what  temper  do  we 
acti  To  this  test  our  religion  must  at  last  be  brought,  and  by 
this  and  other  similar  tests,  the  question  must  be  decided,  whether 
we  can  be  happy  with  angels,  or  must  make  our  bed  in  the  pit. 
Will  God  sanctify  us  by  his  Spirit,  and  fit  us  all  to  dwell  in  a 
peaceful  happy  world.     Amen. 


SERMON     XLIV. 

A  ERA.ND  PLUCKED  FROM  THE  FIRE, 

i^uiic  xxm.  43. 
To-(iiiy  Shalt  thou  be  vvitliine  in  Paradise. 

The  scene  of  the  crucifixion  was,  in  many  respects,  the  most 
awfully  interesting  that  ever  human  eyes  witnessed.  Many  things 
combined  to  create  this  interest :  the  time,  the  place,  the  motley 
mixture  of  character  among  both  the  persecuted  and  the  perse- 
cutors, the  miracles  wrought,  the  worlds  interested  in  the  event,  all 
conspired  to  render  the  moment  like  no  other  since  the  wheels  of 
time  began  to  move.  Angels  gazed,  and  devils,  at  the  whole 
seene,  and  probably  every  world  in  being  was  interested. 

And  yet,  in  all  this  scene,  it  has  seemed  to  me  that  the  redemp- 
tion of  the  dying  thief  was  one  of  the  most  interesting  circum- 
stances. Here  was  seen  all  the  grace  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  with  it 
the  supremacy  of  his  power.  He  proved  himself  the  Alpha  and 
the  Omega,  having  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death,  since,  in  the  act 
of  dying,  he  could  communicate  to  his  fellow-sufferer  immortal 
life,  and  snatch  the  prey  from  the  teeth  of  the  destroyer,  and  bear 
it  up  to  heaven  in  triumph.  The  friends  of  God,  in  every  age 
before  and  since  then,  have  fixed  their  eye  on  that  hour  as  the 
proudest  and  most  precious  section  of  time  in  all  the  revolv- 
ing ages. 

The  spirit  of  prophecy,  looking  through  the  lapse  of  many  hun- 
dred years,  and  dwelling  with  rapture-  on  the  character  and  con- 
flict of  the  Redeemer,  foretold  that  he  should  be  numbered  with 
the  transgressors.  Accordingly,  two  men  of  despicable  character, 
who  had  been  condemned  to  die  for  theft,  were  crucified  with  him, 
one  on  his  right  hand  and  the  other  on  the  left.  It  was  doubtless 
the  intention  of  his  enemies,  by  this  arrangement,  to  degrade  the 
immaculate  Son  of  God. 

We  are  told  that  one  of  the  malefactors  which  were  hanged, 
railed  on  him,  "If  thou  be  the  Christ,  save  thyself  and  us.  But 
the  other  answering,  rebuked  him,  saying.  Dost  thou  not  fear  God, 
seeing  thou  art  in  the  same  condemnation!  and  we  indeed  justly, 


38  A   BRAND   PLUCKED    FROM   THE   FIRE. 

for  we  receive  the  due  reward  of  our  deeds :  but  this  man  hath 
done  nothing  amiss.  And  he  said  unto  Jesus,  Lord,  remember 
me  when  thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom.  Jesus  said  unto  him, 
Verily  I  say  unto  thee.  To-day  shah  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise." 
We  are  told  by  one  of  the  other  Evangelists,  "  that  the  thieves 
also  which  were  crucified  with  him,  cast  the  same  in  his  teeth  :'* 
implying,  as  it  would  seem,  that  the  penitent  thief,  at  the  first, 
joined  his  companion  in  reproaching  the  Lord  of  glory.  In  pur- 
suing the  subject,  my  object  will  bfi  t.n  notice  the  evidence  afforded 
us  in  the  narrative^  that  oink  of  the  malefactuis  was  saved.  I  shall 
then  inquire.  Whether  there  are^  probably,  many  instances  of  late 
conversion  ? 

L  I  am  to  notice  the  evidence  afforded  us  in  the  narrative,  that  one 
of  the  dying  malefactors  was  saved.  The  probability  seems  to  be 
that  he  was  nailed  to  the  cross,  a  stupid  unbeliever.  If  he  joined 
his  fellow^  in  reproaching  the  Savior,  there  can  remain  no  doubt 
that  he  was  then  in  his  sins.  But  between  the  sixth  hour  and  the 
ninth,  he  was  evidently  made  a  new  creature.  Of  this  interesting 
fact  we  have  evidence  : 

1.  In  the  faithfulness  with  which  he  reproved  his  miserable  as- 
sociate. I  know  that  the  bare  act  of  administering  reproof  is  not 
of  itself  decisive  testimony,  one  way  or  the  other,  of  piety.  We 
are  always  to  notice  the  circumstances  and  the  spirit  with  which 
the  reproof  is  administered.  It  often  happens  that  the  basest  of 
men,  in  a  fit  of  passion,  reprove  their  fellow-men.  But  the  cir- 
cumstances in  which  the  dying  malefactor  reproved  his  fellow-suf- 
ferer, give  his  conduct  in  that  matter  peculiar  weight.  All  about 
him  were  despising  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  an  impostor  and  a 
miscreant.  The  Redeemer  was  accused  of  many  gross  crimes, 
and  probably  the  thief  had  not  the  means  of  knowing  their  accusa- 
tions to  be  false.  It  would  not  have  been  surprising  if  he  had 
viewed  the  Savior  as  the  vilest  of  the  three  sufferers.  With  such 
impressions  he  would  not  have  viewed  the  conduct  of  his  fellow 
as  very  criminal.  His  reproof  then,  testifies,  that  he  had  other 
views  of  Chriat  than  were  entertained  by  the  multitude  who  wit- 
nessed his  agonies.  And  while  he  abhorred  the  conduct  of  his 
fellow,  he  boldly  expressed  that  abhorrence,  in  contempt  of  the 
full  tide  of  public  opinion.  If  one  should  reprove  the  profane  or 
lewd,  while  in  the  company  of  pious  men,  or  at  a  time  or  place 
where  and  when  religion  was  popular,  it  would  be  no  very  decisive 
testimony  of  his  piety  ;  but  let  him  administer  reproof  when  all 
m 


A   BEAND    PLUCKED    FROM    THE    FIRE.  3» 

about  him  would  justify  the  sin,  and  despise  the  reprover  ;  then 
it  becomes  an  auspicious  testimony.  Wicked  men  are  strongly 
tempted  to  fall  in  with  the  current  of  public  opinion.  To  do  what 
will  please  and  be  what  others  will  approve  is  very  much  the  lead- 
ing principle  with  unbelievers.  When  we  see  them  face  about, 
and  stem  the  current  of  depravity,  this  conduct  tells  in  their  favor. 

2.  The  believing  malefactor /ree/?/  acknowledged  his  sins^  and  the 
justice  of  his  execution.  "And  we  indeed  justly,  for  we  receive 
the  due  reward  of  our  deeds."  There  may  be  confessions  of 
guilt,  where  sin  is  not  hated.  And  yet  a  free  and  ingenuous  con- 
fession, where  there  is  no  temporal  advantage  to  be  gained,  is 
evidence  of  that  compunction  which  always  attends  repentance, 
'•  He  that  confesseth  his  sins  shall  find  mercy." 

3.  The  penitent  thief /earei  the  Lord.  Said  he  to  his  companion, 
Dost  thou  not  fear  God  \  They  had  none  but  God  to  fear.  Hu- 
man justice  had  exerted  upon  them  its  utmost  rigor.  And  yet  the 
dying  thief  confessed,  that  there  was  wrath  for  them  to  fear.  It 
is  manifest  that  he  believed  in  a  future  righteous  retribution,  and 
was  acting  with  reference  to  that  day,  when  he  must  give  account 
of  the  deeds  done  in  the  body. 

4.  There  was  evidence  of  meekness^  hximilitij^  patience^  and  sub- 
mission. He  rebelled  not  against  the  authority  that  crucified  him, 
submitted  to  what  he  deserved,  and  seemed  willing  to  suffer, 
without  complaint.  He  felt  and  acknowledged  that  he  was  re- 
ceiving "  the  due  reward  of  his  deeds ;"  that  no  injustice,  but  the 
contrary,  was  done  him,  while  he  was  made  a  public  example  of 
justice.  He  took  to  himself  the  punishment  of  his  sins,  and  sub- 
mitted, without  a  murmur,  to  the  rigorous  operations  of  human  law. 

And  with  his  submission  there  seems  to  have  blended  meekness, 
patience,  and  humility.  In  fact,  these  attributes  of  mind  are  very 
much  the  same,  and  have  their  distinct  names  because  of  the  va- 
ried circumstances  in  which  the  same  Christian  grace  is  brought 
into  exercise.  When  the  suffering  penitent  cheerfully  cleared 
the  Savior  of  every  fault,  and  charged  crime,  and  guilt,  and  desert 
of  punishment  upon  himself,  he  used  the  legitimate  language  of 
humility.  He  did  what  every  sinner  must  do  before  he  can  be 
accepted  of  Christ,  took  to  himself  the  punishment  of  his  sins. 
He  appeared  to  have  received  the  death  he  deserved  with  meek- 
ness, and  to  have  endured  with  patience  the  pangs  that  brought 
that  death  upon  him. 

5.  The  dying  malefactor  discovered  strong  faith  in  the  Eedeemer. 
He  viewed  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  promised  Messiah,  believed 


40  A   BRAND    PLUCKED    FEOM    THE    FIRE. 

that  though  he  saw  him  dying,  he  should  live  again,  that  he  was 
the  possessor  of  a  kingdom,  that  he  had  power  to  bless  and  save 
him,  and  in  the  exercise  of  this  confidence,  committed  his  soul  to 
the  Redeemer's  care;  "Lord  remember  me  when  thou  comest 
into  thy  kingdom."  Now  it  would  be  no  other  than  a  strong  faith 
that  could  thus  operate  at  such  a  moment.  It  was  the  hour,  and 
the  power,  of  darkness.  The  object  of  his  faith  was,  at  that  mo- 
ment, in  a  state  of  debasemeyU,  shame,  and  contempt.  He  was  be- 
lieved to  be  an  impostor,  was  viewed  as  a  malefactor,  had  been 
condemned  as  a  criminal,  and  was  suffering  the  penalty  of  human 
law.  Such  would  have  been  the  view  of  unbelief.  His  disciples 
had  forsook  him  ;  one  had  betrayed  him,  and  one  denied  him.  If 
we  except  the  conduct  of  the  Savior  upon  his  trial,  and  while 
hanging  on  the  cross,  and  the  wonders  that  transpired  at  the  time, 
the  earthquake  and  the  darkness,  there  was  every  thing  to  tempt 
an  unbeliever  to  view  the  suffering  Savior  with  scorn  and  con- 
tempt. And  there  were  doubtless  those  present  who  would  ex- 
plain those  strange  phenomena  so  as  to  lay  the  fears  they  might 
awaken.  And  we  do  not  perceive  that  they  had  any  effect  upon 
the  Jewish  Sanhedrim,  or  the  Roman  soldiery. 

It  must,  then,  have  been  a  strong  faith  which  would  lead  the 
dying  thief  to  commit  his  immortal  interests  to  one  who  was  thus 
in  the  very  depth  of  disgrace,  and  one,  with  whose  character  he 
was,  probably,  but  very  little  acquainted.  He  doubtless  saw  in 
the  Redeemer,  while  hanging  on  the  cross,  a  dignity  of  deport- 
ment, illustrative  of  his  high  and  holy  character.  He  heard  him 
pray  for  the  presence  of  his  Father,  and  the  forgiveness  of  his 
enemies,  which  might  convince  him  that  an  august  personage,  one 
more  than  human,  suffered  by  his  side.  Still  that  faith  was  strong 
which  could  surmount  so  many  obstacles,  and  commit  such  amaz- 
ing interests  to  one  apparently  so  unable  even  to  help  himself. 

6.  There  was,  in  favor  of  the  penitence  of  the  thief,  the  evidence 
of  prayer.  One  would  hardly  suppose  that  he  had  leisure  to  pray, 
as  he  hung  upon  the  torturing  nails,  and  groaned  with  every  breath, 
aad  bled  in  agony  at  every  pore — there  could  be  but  little  leisure 
either  to  think  or  pray.  But  in  the  midst  of  all  this  he  prayed, 
"  Lord  remember  me  when  thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom."  There 
is  a  prayer,  I  know,  that  is  not  of  faith,  nor  can  any  form  of  prayer 
be  to  those  who  cannot  know  the  heart,  decisive  evidence  of  piety. 
It  is  a  sure  negative  evidence,  but  not  positive.  If  one  does  not  pray, 
he  is  unquestionably  an  unbeliever.  Still  it  is  said  of  Saul,  "  Be- 
hold, he  prayeth,"  and  this  fact  was  mentioned  as  an  evidence  of 


A    BRAND   PLUCKED    FKOM    THE    FIHE.  41 

hi8  piety.  And  prayer  is  frequently  thus  spoken  of  in  Scripture, 
aud  must  be  viewed  in  the  dying  malefactor,  as  evidence  of  piety. 
Finally,  however,  our  only  assurance  that  the  dying  malefactor 
went  to  heaven  is  to  be  gathered  from  the  declaration  of  our  Lord, 
"  This  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise."  But  for  this  asser- 
tion of  the  Redeemer,  we  could  only  have  hoped  that  the  miserable 
man  was  saved,  and  it  would  have  remained  till  the  judgment  day 
a  doubtful  question,  like  the  conversion  of  Xicodemus. 

II.  I  proceed  to  inquire  into  the  probability  of  there  being  Trwfiy 
late  conversions.  By  late  conversions  I  mean,  what  you  will  under- 
stand me  to  mean,  conversions  which  take  place  in  the  late  hours 
of  life.  Although  I  shall  dwell  more  particularly  on  the  scenes  of 
the  sick  and  dying  bed,  yet  many  of  my  remarks  will  apply  to  the 
period  of  old  age.  I  confess  ray  unshaken  belief  that  the  instances 
are  rare  when  a  person  reaches  heaven  after  spending  almost  the 
whole  of  life  in  sin.     In  support  of  this  opinion,  I  refer  you,  in  the 

1.  Place,  to  the  Scriptures.  The  whole  aspect  of  the  sacred 
volume  exhibits  this  truth.  Of  the  many  thousands  of  whose 
conversion  we  read  in  the  Scriptures,  but  one  is  said  to  have  been 
converted  in  the  dying  hour,  and  but  few  are  known  to  have  been 
far  advanced  in  life.  From  the  very  nature,  however,  of  this  arti- 
cle, I  can  make  no  quotations.  If  any  doubt  the  truth  of  the  re- 
mark, it  will  belong  to  them  to  bring  forward,  if  they  be  able. 
Scripture  testimony  to  the  contrary. 

The  promises  and  invitations  of  the  gospel  imply  that  God's 
chosen  time  to  make  up  his  jewels  is  the  early  part  of  life. 
"  Those  that  seek  me  early  shall  find  me."'  **  Seek  ye  the  Lord 
while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is  near.*' 
''  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness.'' 

The  same  may  be  inferred  from  the  threatenings.  ''  Because  I 
have  called,  and  ye  refused  ;  I  have  stretched  out  my  hand,  and 
no  man  regarded ;  but  ye  have  set  at  nought  my  counsel,  and 
would  none  of  my  reproof;  I  also  will  laugh  at  your  calamity:  I 
will  mock  when  your  fear  cometh."  If  you  will  examine  your 
Bibles,  almost  every  page  will  teach  you,  in  one  form  and  another, 
that  religion  is  to  be  the  business  of  early  life,  and  not  of  a  dying 
hour. 

2.  That  few  are  converted  in  the  late  hours  of  life  is  manifest 
from  the  very  nature  of  religion.  It  is  spoken  of  as  a  thing  that 
commences,  and  by  time  grows  and  is  matured  in  the  heart.  It  is 
compared  to  leaven  hid  in  the  meal,  which  gradually  operates  till 

VOL.  n.  6 


42  A   BRAND   PLUCKED    FROM   THE   FIRE. 

the  whole  is  leavened.  Paul  speaks  of  the  Christian  as  "  forget- 
ting the  things  that  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  to  those  things 
that  are  before,  pressing  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high 
calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus."  And  again,  speaking  of  the  fam- 
ily of  believers,  says,  "  Till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith, 
and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto 
the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ."  From  these 
representations,  and  a  thousand  like  them,  it  would  seem  that  the 
believer  is  converted  generally  long  before  he  dies,  and  has  time 
to  grow  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  till  by  degrees 
he  becomes  matured  for  the  heavenly  state.  Converted  late  in 
life  there  would  be  no  time  for  this  gradual  progress.  The  Chris- 
tian's life  could  not  then  be  a  warfare — he  would  have  no  need  of 
the  whole  armor  of  God.  All  the  directions  given  to  the  Christian 
how  to  live,  and  how  to  feel,  and  how  to  speak  so  as  to  honor  re- 
ligion, would  seem  to  be  lost,  if  the  great  body  of  believers  were 
not  converted  long  before  they  die.  Indeed,  the  very  idea  of  a 
visible  Church,  makes  it  manifest  that  the  great  body  of  the  re- 
deemed will  be  enlisted  early  in  the  service  of  God,  be  members 
of  his  Church  below,  and  in  this  world,  by  discipline,  and  instruc- 
tion, and  frequent  communications  of  grace,  become  qualified  for 
the  rest  and  the  glory  of  heaven. 

3.  The  fact  that  a  preached  gospel  is  God's  instituted  means  of 
salvation,  goes  to  show  that  we  are  to  expect  but  few  conversions 
on  the  dying  bed.  For  "  the  preaching  of  the  cross  is  to  them 
that  perish,  foolishness  ;  but  unto  us  which  are  saved,  it  is  the 
power  of  God."  "  For  after  that,  in  the  wisdom  of  God,  the  world 
by  wisdom  knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God  by  the  foolishness  of 
preaching  to  save  them  that  believe."  Speaking  of  the  heathen, 
the  same  apostle  says,  "  How  then  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom 
thev  haTe  not  believed  1  And  how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of 
whom  they  have  not  heard  %  And  how  shall  they  hear  without  a 
preacher  1"  The  three  thousand  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  were 
awakened  under  a  preached  gospel.  And  ever  since  then,  this 
has  been  the  grand  means  of  the  salvation  of  souls.  But  these 
means  are  scarcely  applicable  to  the  dying  man.  True,  he  may 
have  heard  the  gospel  before,  and  the  truths  he  has  heard  may 
awaken  him  when  on  the  dying  bed  ;  or  the  gospel  may  be  preached 
by  his  bed-side,  if  infidel  associates  have  not  fenced  the  truth  from 
his  dying  chamber.  Still  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  when  one 
has  neglected  religion  till  the  last  days  of  his  life,  God  will  then 


A    BRAND    JfLUtJKED    FROM    THE     FIRE.  43 

send  him  tnc   gospel,  and  give  it   such  efficacy  as  to  change  the 
heart,  and  if  not,  the  hope  of  a  death-bed  repentance  is  small. 

4,  As  far  as  we  can  know  the  purpose  of  God  from  Scripture  or 
fact,  it  is  his  purpose  to  employ  his  people  in  this  world  as  instru- 
ments of  his  glory,  before  he  takes  them  to  heaven.  Inquire  of 
the  children  of  God  the  date  of  their  conversion,  and  they  will 
almost  uniformly  point  you  to  some  early  period  of  life.  Our 
revivals  prevail  principally  among  the  youth.  The  psalmist  says, 
"  Thou  wilt  o-uide  me  with  thy  counsel,  and  afterward  receive  me 
to  glory."  God  says,  "  They  that  honor  me  I  will  honor."  Be- 
lievers go  from  strength  to  strength,  till  every  one  of  them  ap- 
peareth  in  Zion  before  God.  We  fight  for  the  crown,  we  wrestle 
for  the  prize,  and  strive  for  the  victory.  But  all  this  is  incompa- 
tible with  a  death-bed  repentance,  and  renders  it,  I  think,  clearly 
improbable  that  there  are  many  such  instances. 

5.  Many  circumstances  conspire  to  render  the  exercises  of  the 
sick  and  dying  bed  doubtful.  In  that  situation  we  are  to  expect 
from  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  that  one  will  be  filled  with  alarm. 
He  views  himself  on  the  verge  of  eternity.  All  he  does  must  be 
done  quickly.  Conscious  that  the  whole  of  life  has  been  mis- 
spent, that  he  must  soon  die,  and  that  there  is  no  work,  nor  know- 
ledge, nor  wisdom,  nor  device  in  the  grave,  and  that  judgment 
will  tread  upon  the  heels  of  death,  he  becomes  alarmed  of  course. 

And  if  the  paroxysms  of  disease  do  not  prevent,  he  is  very  lia- 
ble to  become  the  subject  of  rational  conviction.  Shut  up  from 
the  scenes  of  a  busy  world,  he  will  naturally  think  on  his  case  j 
and  the  more  he  thinks,  the  deeper  will  be  his  impression  of  his 
guilt  and  ruin.  The  truth  he  has  heard  he  will  now  recollect. 
The  invitations  he  has  neglected,  the  admonitions  he  has  slighted, 
the  warnings  and  reproofs,  will  all  return  anew,  and  pour  their 
congregated  light  upon  his  conscience.  It  is  an  honest  hour,  and 
the  truth  will  be  felt.  Hence  a  state  of  alarm  and  conviction 
would  seem  to  be  a  thing  of  course,  if  the  ravages  of  disease  leaves 
any  leisure  or  strength  for  reflection. 

And  such  a  state  of  mind  is  very  liable  to  be  followed  by  calm- 
ness, hope,  and  joy.  From  the  very  constitution  of  our  minds, 
and  of  some  more  than  others,  we  are  liable  to  vibrate  from  one 
extreme  to  the  other,  from  a  state  of  deep  depression  and  despair, 
to  a  state  of  ecstatic  joy.  We  have  seen  persons  who,  on  the 
loss  of  some  dear  friend,  seemed  as  if  they  should  die,  and  yet,  in 
a  few  days,  would  be  even  light  and  trifling.  In  times  of  awaken- 
ing, some  have  seemed  to  be  filled  with  the  terrors  of  hell  and  in  a 


4f4l  A    RRANn    Pr.TTnKED    FnoM    THE    FTPF.. 

short  time  were  more  vain  and  trifling  than  ever.  With  a  dying  man 
who  is  conscious  that  he  has  lived  without  God  and  without  Christ. 
in  the  world,  there  is  such  an  amazing  interest  at  stake,  that  he 
will  naturally  grasp  at  a  hope  that  he  may  be  saved.  When  death 
stares  us  in  the  face,  a  hopeless  state  is  intolerable.  Hence  the 
dying  man  will  be  constantly  looking  about  him  for  evidence  that 
he  is  a  believer,  and  will  be  very  liable  to  obtain  a  hope  without 
evidence. 

When  hope  is  once  acquired,  many  things  will  conspire  to 
strengthen  it.  It  may  be  succeeded  by  great  joy.  The  idea  that 
one  is  safe  will  naturally  render  him  happy.  And  this  false  joy  by 
re-action  will  strengthen  his  hope.  Friends  who  are  about  the  sick- 
bed, if  pious  or  not  pious,  will  be  glad  to  see  the  sufferer  happy, 
and  will  be  tempted  to  do  their  utmost  to  strengthen  and  confirm 
his  hope.  And  if  pious,  unless  peculiarly  faithful,  they  will  be  lia- 
ble to  aid  his  delusions,  and  strengthen  his  refuge  of  lies. 

He  thinks  his  passions  subdued  by  the  grace  of  God,  when  in 
fact  they  are  only  tamed  by  the  paroxysms  of  disease.  The  appe- 
tites do  not  demand  unlawful  gratification,  for  they  have  for  the 
present  ceased  their  operation.  The  patient  imagines  that  he  has 
ceased  to  love  the  world,  when  in  fact  he  is  only  beaten  off  from  its 
embrace  by  the  rage  of  disease.  Because  he  is  constrained  to 
abandon  the  cares,  the  pleasures,  and  the  vexations  of  life,  and  is 
led  to  think  much  on  the  subject  of  death  and  judgment,  he  pre- 
sumes that  he  has  become  heavenly-minded. 

As  the  words  of  the  lips  are  little  to  be  relied  on,  and  are  not 
spoken  of  in  Scriptures  as  full  evidence  of  piety,  it  is  difficult  to 
suppose  that  a  dying  man  should  be  able  to  apply  to  his  piety  any 
very  decisive  tests.  He  cannot  mingle  with  the  ungodly  and  show 
us  that  he  hates  and  reproves  their  vile  conduct.  He  cannot  en- 
gage in  trade  or  business,  and  so  prove  to  us  that  he  will  not  be 
hard  and  dishonest  in  his  dealings.  He  cannot  know  the  miseries 
of  those  around  him,  and  show  his  benevolence  by  flying  to  their 
help.  He  cannot  mingle  with  God's  people  in  the  sanctuary  and 
the  place  of  prayer  and  conference,  and  show  us  that  he  loves  the 
people  and  worship  of  God.  He  is  not  exposed  to  temptation,  and 
cannot  prove  to  us  that  he  has  a  religion  that  can  overcome  the 
world,  and  stand  against  the  influx  of  iniquity. 

In  one  word,  a  sick  and  dying  man  can  bear  but  little  of  the 
fruits  of  holiness.  He  cannot  give  us  the  same  evidence  that  a 
person  in  health  can  in  the  same  time,  which  leads  me  to  observe, 

6.  That  the  time  is  sc   short  generally  in  which  we  can  observe 


A   BRAND    PLITCKED    FROM    THE    FIRE.  45 

the  exercises  of  a  sick  and  dying  man,  that  whatever  the  case  may 
be,  our  hopes  cannot  rise  very  high.  If  one  in  heakh,  without 
any  special  event  of  providence  to  alarm  him,  become  the  subject 
of  awakening  conviction  and  hope,  still  we  at  first  rejoice  with 
trembling,  and  often  many  months  elapse  before  we  lose  all  our 
fears  that  he  may  return  again  to  a  state  of  stupidity.  And  our 
apprehensions  must  be  greater  still  in  the  case  of  one  whose  exer- 
cises commenced  while  he  stood  on  the  verge  of  the  grave. 

7.  The  fact  that  so  many  have  appeared  well  in  the  sick  and 
dying  chamber,  while  death  was  seen  to  hang  over  them,  but  have 
on  their  recovery  lost  their  impressions,  and  appeared  even  worse 
than  ever,  has  rendered  suspected  the  exercises  of  the  sick  ijnd 
dying  bed.  It  is  true  that  we  have  no  authority  to  say  that  God 
may  not  do  more  for  those  who  die  than  for  those  who  recover. 
This  matter  we  must  leave  with  God  till, the  last  day.  Very  few 
persons  have  failed  to  witness  one  or  more  instances  in  which  re- 
covery to  health  has  disappointed  high  hopes  of  piety.  In  some 
cases  all  doubt  was  gone,  and  if  the  patient  had  died,  there  had 
been  the  firmest  confidence  of  meeting  him  in  heaven  ;  and  still 
on  his  return  to  health,  a  few  weeks  made  him  careless,  and  the 
morning  cloud  and  the  early  dew  were  dissipated.  With  very 
many  facts  like  these  before  our  eyes,  how  is  it  possible  but  that 
every  prudent  man  should  admit  with  caution  the  validity  of  those 
hopes  of  heaven,  that  are  generated  upon  the  death-bed.  And 
now  what  use  shall  we  make  of  all  this  1     I 


If  death-bed  repentances  are  so  doubtful,  then  delays  in  matters 
of  religion  are  imminently  dangerous.  To-morrow,  perhaps,  you 
betake  yourself  to  the  sick-bed,  and  it  proves  your  death-bed. 
There  is  something  said  to  you  on  the  afl"airs  of  your  soul,  and  it 
may  be  that  you  are  serious,  and  finally  begin  to  hope  that  you 
shall  live  in  heaven.  But  that  hope  may  prove  a  spider's  web,  and 
you  may  lean  on  it  and  perish.  Your  friends  may  think  you  gone 
to  heaven,  but  they  may  find,  when  the  last  day  has  come,  that 
you  are  on  the  left  hand.  Attend  to  religion  now  in  health,  and 
then  when  you  die  we  shall  have  hope  of  you,  and  comfort  in  you. 
Now,  if  you  want  advice  we  can  give  it,  but  on  the  dying-bed,  if 
we  call  on  you,  you  will  be  too  weak  to  receive  instruction,  and 
we  can  only  pray  for  you,  and  perhaps  let  you  perish. 


SERMON    XLV. 
THE  FATHER  THE  PROTOTYPE  OF  THE  SON. 

JOHN   XIV.   8,    9. 

Ph'dip  saith  unto  him,  Lord,  show  us  the  Father,  and  it  sufficcth  us.    Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Have 
I  been  so  long  tiiue  with  you,  and  yet  liast  tliou  not  known  me,  Philip  1 

The  doctrine  which  our  Lord  here  intended  to  teach  is  evident- 
ly this,  that  in  hiiflself  dwelt  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily. 
It  was  impossible  to  know  him  and  not  know  the  Father,  to  see  him 
and  not  see  the  Father.  In  him  the  divinity  was  embodied,  and 
thus,  in  the  only  possible  way,  brought  down  to  human  view.  He 
was  God  manifest  in  the  flesh.  In  no  other  case  was  it  possible 
that  any  man  should  see  God. 

In  our  ideas  of  the  Supreme  Being,  if  our  views  are  correct,  we 
conceive  not  of  a  being  possessed  of  locality  and  visibility,  but  of 
attributes  dwelling  in  one  incomprehensible,  and  infinite  mind, 
•=whose  duration  applies  to  every  point  of  time,  and  whose  presence 
to  every  portion  of  space.  When  we  think  of  him,  or  pray  to  him, 
we  conceive  of  a  junction  of  every  great  and  amiable  attribute. 
We  worship  a  cluster  of  perfections  which,  as  to  the  mode  of  their 
♦.xistence,  lays  the  foundation  for  the  distinction  of  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost.  It  will  be  my  object  to  show  that  these  perfec- 
tions, which,  when  associated,  constitute  the  object  of  our  worship, 
were  all  found  in  the  Savior,  were  attached  to  the  man  Christ 
Jesus,  and  prove  him  to  be  truly  divine.  If  in  him  some  of  these 
attributes  are  less  conspicuous  than  others,  it  is  beca'ise  his  con- 
nection with  human  nature,  and  the  point  of  time  at  which  we  view 
him,  rendered  it  diflicult,  if  not  impossible,  that  such  attributes 
should  be  developed.  Every  perfection  which  it  was  possible  that 
he  should  exhibit  clearly,  was  exhibited,  and  all  others  which  en- 
tei  into  our  ideas  of  God,  are  said  to  belong  to  him,  and  are  infer- 
rible from  what  he  did.  The  truth  at  Avhich  I  aim  is  this  ;  If  we 
find  in  Christ  Jesus  every  attribute  of  Jehovah,  and  if  these  attri- 
butes appear  not  to  be  borrowed  but  to  belong  to  him  as  originally 
his  own,  it  is  our  duty  to  own  his  divinity,  and  worship  him  as  our 
Lord  and  our  God.  I  notice  how  freely  the  Scriptures  ascribe  to 
the  Savior  these  attributes. 


THE  FATHER  THE  PROTOTYPE  OF  THE  SON.  4,7 

For  instance  Omniscience.  The  most  superficial  observer  of  the 
history  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  cannot  fail  to  have  noticed  how 
perfectly  naked  and  open  to  his  inspection  were  all  creatures  and 
all  things.  Peter  came  to  him  to  inquire  respecting  their  obliga- 
tions to  pay  tribute.  Our  Lord,  it  is  said,  prevented  him,  i.  e.  he 
knew  his  errand  and  anticipated  his  request.  He  sent  him  to  the 
sea,  and  directed  him  to  angle  for  a  fish  which  had  swallowed  a 
piece  of  money,  and  would  be  at  the  shore  ready  to  be  taken  when 
Peter  should  cast  in  his  hook.  Here  was  displayed  in  one  act  in- 
tuitive knowledge  of  the  natural  and  moral  world,  such  as  can  be- 
long to  none  but  God. 

When,  in  fulfilment  of  an  ancient  prophecy,  he  would  enter  Je- 
rusalem amid  the  hosannas  of  the  multitude,  he  sent  two  of  his 
disciples  to  bring  an  ass  which  they  would  find  tied  in  a  certain 
place,  and  whose  owner  was  friendly  to  their  Lord,  and  would 
readily  send  his  beast  to  do  him  honor.  Here  was  exhibited  an 
omniscience  which  can  belong  to  none  but  God. 

So  while  Nathaniel  was  under  the  fig-tree  he  saw  him.  He 
knew  of  the  sickness  and  death  of  Lazarus,  although  he  was  at  a 
distance,  and  had  received  no  intelligence  of  these  events  through 
any  human  communication.  When  he  would  eat  the  passover,  he 
knew  that  a  man  friendly  to  his  religion  would  ^o  for  a  pitcher  of 
water,  and  would  meet  the  disciples  whom  he  had  sent  to  prepare 
for  the  feast,  and  offer  them  for  this  purpose  an  apartment  of  his 
house.  He  knew  the  hearts  of  all  about  him  ;  that  the  scribes  and 
pharisees  had  come  to  catch  him  in'his  words  ;  that  the  disciples 
were  contending  for  superiority,  and  that  Judas  had  it  in  his  heart 
to  betray  him. 

Omnipresence^  as  distinguished  from  omniscience,  was  an  attri- 
bute which  could  not  be  displayed  in  connection  with  humanity 
without  bringing  the  latter  into  doubt.  If  at  the  same  moment 
that  he  was  teaching  the  multitude  on  Mount  Olivet,  he  had  also 
been  known  to  be  in  the  same  employment  by  the  sea  of  Galilee, 
his  cotemporaries  would  have  doubted  whether  he  had  a  human  as 
well  as  a  divine  nature,  or  would  have  believed  that  there  were 
more  than  one  Messiah ;  and  either  of  these  errors  would  have 
been  dangerous.  Hence  we  are  not  to  expect  to  see  in  the  history 
of  his  life  any  evidence  of  this  attribute,  but  must  learn  that  he 
possessed  it  from  what  he  says  of  himself,  or  from  what  inspired 
writers  say  of  him. 

His  Almighty  Power  is  conspicuous  in  every  part  of  his  history. 
The  waves  of  the  sea  were  calm  at  his  word :  he  created  bread  to 


4®  THE  FATHER  THE  PROTOTYPE  OF  THE  SON. 

feed  the  multitude  ;  every  disease  yielded  to  his  touch ;  devils 
were  dispossessed  at  his  bidding  ;  and  the  lame,  the  deaf,  the  blind, 
and  the  dumb  were  relieved  at  his  command.  His  voice  waked 
tiie  dead,  restored  the  dying,  and  fed  the  living.  Of  his  almighty 
power  there  cannot  be  a  doubt  with  such  as  credit  his  history. 

And  we  see  some  traces  of  his  sovereignty,  although  this  attri- 
bute is  evidently  concealed  by  the  very  design  of  his  incarnation. 
He  came  to  teach  the  truth,  to  save  men's  lives,  and  not  to  destroy 
tliem  ;  to  explain,  rather  than  cloud  the  purposes  of  heaven.  Still 
in  many  things  that  he  did  he  concealed  his  motives,  and  gave  no 
account  of  his  purpose.  He  performed  cures  in  Capernaum,  and 
not  in  Nazareth,  where  he  was  bred,  and  where  they  claimed  a 
right  to  his  mercy.  He  blasted  the  innocent  fig-tree  because  it 
did  not  yield  him  fruit,  while  yet  the  time  of  figs  was  not  come. 
He  scourged  the  market-men  from  the  temple,  and  refused  to  tell 
them  by  what  authority  he  acted.  He  selected  his  apostles  from 
the  fishing-boat  and  the  shop  of  the  tentmaker,  passing  by  the 
scribes,  and  pharisees,  and  lawyers.  And  in  all  his  distributions 
of  grace,  he  chose  whom  he  would  to  love  and  follow  him,  and 
left  whom  he  would  to  perish. 

He  acted  with  an  independence  which  bespoke  him  the  sovereign 
Lord  of  his  own  kingdom.  He  took  counsel  of  none.  His  own 
apostles  he  made  acquainted  with  his  purposes  no  farther  than  was 
necessary  for  their  comfort  and  usefulness.  Many  of  the  most  de- 
cisive steps  relative  to  his  kingdom  he  appears  to  have  taken  with- 
out giving  any  indications  that  he  acted  by  a  wisdom  not  his  own, 
or  a  power  not  his  own.  His  infinity,  his  eternity,  his  ubiquity, 
and  his  spirituality,  as  they  are  properties  of  divinity,  were  in  a 
measure  concealed  by  his  humanity,  or  were  attributes  which 
could  not  be  clearly  exhibited  in  a  point  of  time.  We  know  that 
he  possessed  them  all,  but  we  gather  this  knowledge  from  the  tes- 
timony of  Scripture. 

His  wisdom,  Avhieh  forms  the  connecting  link  between  his  natu- 
ral and  moral  attributes,  was  conspicuous  in  all  he  did.  His  very 
enemies  acknowledged  that  he  taught  as  never  man  taught.  We 
think  we  see  a  supernatural  wisdom  in  all  his  plans,  in  the  clear- 
ness with  which  he  exhibited  truth,  the  promptness  with  which  he 
answered  every  question,  the  acuteness  with  which  he  silenced 
his  opponents,  and  the  success  which  attended  all  his  movements. 
A  wisdom  more  than  human,  his  enemies  being  judges,  guided  all 
the  operations  of  his  kingdom. 

His  hoIi?iess  he  displayed  in  his  own   perfect   obedience   to  the 


THE  FATHER  THE  PROTOTYPE  OF  THE  SON.  49 

law,  in  his  unqualified  approbation  of  the  obedience  of  others,  and 
his  frowns  upon  every  transgressor.  In  his  determination  not  to 
destroy  the  law  but  to  fulfil  it,  and  in  his  dying  to  fulfil  its  penalty 
in  behalf  of  those  whom  his  mercy  would  save,  he  gave  the  strong- 
est possible  testimony  that  he  was  holy  as  God  is  holy. 

His  justice  was  less  conspicuous  than  many  other  moral  attri- 
butes, because  his  errand  into  our  world  was  to  snatch  rebels  from 
its  power  by  his  own  blood.  He  would  not  be  a  judge  between  a 
man  and  his  brother,  and  would  not  condemn  the  adulteress.  And 
yet  never  did  any  one  so  strictly  observe  the  rules  of  righteous- 
ness as  he  did,  and  never  had  those  rules  been  so  clearly  exhibited 
as  we  find  them  in  his  instructions.  The  grand  rule  embracing  all 
others,  "  Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye 
even  so  to  them,"  was  never  exhibited  till  it  dropped  from  his  lips. 
Thus,  not  to  mention  that  in  promotion  of  justice  he  laid  down  his 
life,  it  is  manifest  that  he  made  it  a  first  law  of  his  kingdom  that 
justice  should  be  done  to  all  beings. 

His  truth  and  faithfulness  are  without  a  parallel.  What  he  said 
always  accorded  with  strict  veracity.  All  his  promises  he  fulfilled, 
and  every  promise  is  sure  to  be  accomplished.  Never  did  he  speak 
of  things  past,  present,  or  future,  but  his  language  accorded  with 
fact  ;  and  if  all  men  are  liars,  he  must  have  been  more  than  human. 
His  whole  life  was  a  perfect  comment  upon  his  own  assertion  that 
he  came  into  the  world  to  declare  the  truth. 

His  goodness  and  his  mercy  none  could  ever  doubt.  He  spent  his 
life  to  make  the  wretched  happy,  and  died  to  save  them  from  end- 
less misery.  He  mourned  and  wept  over  those  who  would  not  be 
made  happy,  and  prayed  in  his  last  hour  that  his  murderers  might 
be  forgiven. 

Thus  every  attribute  of  divinity  which  could  be  exhibited  iu 
connection  with  human  nature,  and  in  a  point  of  time  such  as  was 
his  public  ministry,  was  clearly  displayed  as  inherent  in  the  Loru 
Jesus  Christ. 

If  we  hear  it  said  that  he  grew  in  wisdom,  and  in  stature,  and  in 
favor  with  God  and  man  ;  if  we  find  him  receiving  intelligence  like 
other  men,  and  praying  as  he  taught  them  to  pray,  this  only  proves, 
what  no  one  denies,  that  he  was  strictly  and  properly  a  man  as 
well  as  God.  His  humanity  would  have  been  doubted  if  in  every 
thing  but  sin  he  had  not  exhibited  the  properties  of  human  nature. 
Hence  he  hungered,  and  thirsted,  and  was  weary  ;  he  was  grieved, 
he  wept,  he  prayed,  he  bled,  he  sweat,  and  he  sufl"ered.  All  tliis 
must  be  to  render  him  a  man.     And  yet  he  could  create  the  very 

VOL.  II.  7 


50  THE  FATHER  THE  PROTOTYPE  OF  THE  SON. 

bread  for  which  he  hungered,  and  the  wine  for  which  he  thirsted  ; 
could  sustain  his  own  weakness,  and  take  up  the  life  he  laid  dowD. 
He  could  do  for  himself  the  very  things  which  he  asked  the  Father 
to  do  for  him.  While  he  lay  in  the  manger,  and  while  he  hung  on 
the  tree,  he  still  sustained  the  government  of  the  world,  and  was 
the  mighiy  God,  the  everlasting  father,  the  prince  of  peace. 

And  it  seems  to  us  that  these  opposite  attributes  must  meet  in 
one  who  is  both  God  and  man.  VVhy  because  we  see  weakness 
shall  we  deny  his  deity,  rather  than  deny  his  humanity,  because 
we  see  him  possessed  of  infinite  power.  Some  have  taken  one 
side  of  this  question  and  some  the  other.  There  have  been  many 
who  have  denied  his  humanity,  and  we  live  in  a  day  when  others 
are  attempting  to  strip  him  of  his  divinity.  But  the  prophets  fore- 
saw in  the  child  that  should  be  born  a  junction  of  divine  and  human 
atributes.  He  was  the  mighty  God,  and  yet  he  was  to  hang  upon 
a  tree  ;  he  was  to  be  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  yet  Jehovah  in  address- 
ing him  styles  him  the  man  that  is  my  fellow  ;  he  was  made  under 
the  law,  and  yet  the  government  of  the  universe  was  upon  his 
shoulders.  And  what  the  prophets  thus  foretold  is  manifest  in  all 
his  history.  He  could  still  the  sea,  and  yet  was  in  an  agony  on  the 
approach  of  the  hour  of  his  dissolution  j  he  could  raise  the  dead, 
and  yet  died  himself. 

Unable  to  see  how  these  different  attributes  can  be  in  the  same 
person,  some  have  asserted,  and  would  have  us  believe,  that  all 
that  Avas  more  than  human  were  mere  borrowed  attributes  ;  that 
Jesus  was  a  man  like  other  men,  or  at  least  a  mere  creature,  and 
that  God  granted  him  for  the  time  being  divine  attributes.  Now 
we  read  that  God  will  not  give  his  glory  to  another  ;  but  whether 
God  is  not  believed  while  he  thus  asserts,  or  whether  men  have 
discovered  that  as  a  loan  is  not  a  gift,  so  God  may  permit  a  crea- 
ture to  use  temporarily  attributes  which  are  not  permanently  his,  I 
leave  you  to  judge.  We  are  reminded,  I  know,  that  prophets  and 
apostles  wrought  miracles,  did  what  mere  men  unassisted  could  not 
do,  in  other  words, were  for  a  time  endowed  with  supernatural  power; 
and  the  question  is  triumphantly  asked,  Wherein  do  the  cases  differ. 
The  prophets  and  apostles  were  men,  mere  men,  j^et  were  em- 
powered to  do  what  belonged  to  the  prerogatives  of  Jehovah,  and 
what  else  is  true  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  1  With  regard  to  these 
assertions  I  remark, 

1.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  acted  as  if  these  attributes  which  he 
exhibited  were  his  own.  He  did  not  exhibit  any  signs  of  depend- 
CBce  on  ti,ic  will  of  another  to  enable  him  to  do  his  mighty  works. 


THE  FATHER  THE  PROTOTiTE  OF  THE  SON.  51 

When  he  stilled  the  storm  he  merely  said,  "  Peace,  be  still."  When 
he  dispossessed  the  demoniacs  he  commanded  them  to  go  out. 
When  he  healed  diseases  he  took  an  attitude  highly  independent, 
"  I  will,  be  thou  whole."  When  he  delivered  predictions  he  did  not 
say,  as  the  prophets  did,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord."  When  he  raised 
the  dead  his  language  was,  "  Lazarus  come  forth."  He  spoke  of 
what  he  had  done,  and  would  do.  He  associated  himself  with  the 
Father,  and  said,  "  We  will  come  to  him  and  make  our  abode  with 
him."  And  when  others  spoke  of  what  he  had  done,  he  never  dis-- 
claimed  the  praise,  or  referred  them  to  God  as  the  author  of  these 
works.  When  he  had  communicated  blessings  to  the  sufferers  he 
permitted  them  to  give  him  all  the  praise.  Now  all  this  would  have 
been  unpardonable  impudence  in  a  creature  the  most  exalted. 
There  was  never  seen  any  thing  like  it  in  the  prophets  or  the  apos- 
tles. They  used  the  power  of  working  miracles  as  a  borrowed 
attribute,  and  constantly  ascribed  all  the  glory  to  God.  If  others 
offered  to  worship  them,  they  shrunk  from  the  honor  and  declared 
themselves  to  be  mere  men. 

2.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  assured  his  disciples  that  the  attributes 
he  employed  were  his  own,  and  the  praise  his  due.  He  assured  them 
that  he  was  one  with  the  Ffitlier,  and  that  it  was  the  duty  of  all  men 
to  honor  the  Son  even  as  they  honor  the  Father,  He  assured  them 
that  he  had  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins,  and  encouraged  them  to 
apply  to  him  for  pardon.  He  spoke  of  being  in  the  Father  in  the 
same  sense  that  the  Fathor  was  in  him.  If  then  he  was  a  mere  crea- 
ture, and  had  no  honor  or  power  but  that  which  was  loaned  and  tem- 
porary, he  certainly  betrayed  his  trust  as  no  agent  ever  did  before, 
and  accumulated  about  himself  the  glory  due  to  him  who  sent  him. 

3.  It  is  certain  that  beings  in  all  worlds  viewed  him  with  a  re- 
spect which  it  would  seem  could  not  have  been  his  due  had  he  ap- 
peared great  only  in  borrowed  attributes.  We  hear  the  Father 
say,  "  Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever."  The  disciples 
addressed  their  prayers  to  him,  called  him  their  Lord,  and  com- 
mitted their  spirits  into  his  hand.  Said  Peter,  "  Lord,  thou  know- 
est  all  things,  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee."  Devils  did  him 
honor,  feared  his  power,  and  trembled  at  his  approach.  The  Jews 
understood  him  to  assert  that  he  was  equal  with  God.  And  he 
seems  to  have  permitted  all  about  him  to  retain  their  high  views 
of  his  person  and  character. 

4.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  speaks  of  himself,  and  is  spoken  of, 
as  possessing  these  attributes  before  he  came  in  the  flesh  and  since 
his  ascension.     Said  he    "  Before  Abraham  was  I  am."     And  said 


52  THE  FATHER  THE  PROTOTYPE  OF  THE  SON. 

an  apostle,  with  reference  to  him,  "  For  by  him  were  all  things 
created  that  are  in  heaven,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be 
thrones  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers  ;  all  things 
were  created  by  him  and  for  him."  And  he  is  represented  as  con- 
tinuing to  govern  the  world  as  mediator  till  the  judgment,  waen 
he  will  deliver  up  the  kingdom  to  the  Father.  Still,  however,  he 
is  to  be  worshipped  equally  with  the  Father  for  ever,  and  will 
doubtless  for  ever  reign  v/ith  him.  There  will  continue  to  be  as- 
cribed to  him  "  Power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and 
honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing."  Now  who  can  believe  that  God 
can  loan  to  a  mere  creature  all  his  attributes,  and  give  assurance 
that  he  shall  enjoy  them  and  the  honors  they  attract  to  him,  for 
ever  1  What  absurdity  can  be  more  glaring  1  Hence  what  a  rot- 
ten and  miserable  scheme  it  is  which  thus  degrades  the  Redeenier 
and  robs  the  gospel  system  of  all  its  glory. 

That  still  as  mediator  he  acted  in  a  delegated  capacity,  we  know 
and  are  not  disposed  to  deny.  That  in  this  character  he  was  in- 
ferior to  the  Father,  or  acted  under  him,  none  will  dispute.  But 
that  still  he  is  invested  with  all  the  rights  of  Jehovah,  and  that 
every  attribute  of  the  true  God  is  his  without  derivation,  or  loan, 
or  bequest,  is  to  me  as  manifest  as  that  any  other  doctrine  of 
the  Bible  is  true. 

The  scheme  of  reasoning  which  vests  the  Redeemer  with  bor- 
rowed attributes,  would  throw  us  afloat  on  points  the  most  obvi- 
ous. How  can  we  know  that  the  being  which  we  call  man  is  any 
other  than  a  brute  beast  vested  for  a  few  days  with  the  loan  of  in- 
telligence 1  He  may  to-morrow  rot  and  perish  like  the  ox.  We 
do  not  use  the  power  of  reason,  more  as  if  it  were  an  inherent 
property  of  our  nature,  than  did  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  the  high 
and  holy  attributes  which  come  into  view  in  his  history.  It  would 
seem  to  me  far  easier  to  doubt  whether  men  had  any  other  than  a 
borrowed  intelligence,  than  to  doubt  the  Deity  of  Christ.  In  in- 
fancy man  seems  like  a  mere  animal,  and  often  he  reaches  a  simi- 
lar state  in  old  age.  How  can  we  know,  then,  that  there  awaits 
us  any  other  existence  beyond  the  grave  than  a  mere  beastly  ex- 
istence if  any.  True  intelligence  was  attached  to  us  for  a  time, 
and  we  hoped  to  think  and  reason  for  ever,  but  this  may  all  be  fal- 
lacy on  the  principle  that  we  oppose.  Men  have  been  styled  angels 
in  disguise,  but  Ave  have,  it  seems,  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that 
they  are  brutes  in  disguise,  and  may  soon  lay  aside  the  intelHgence 
which  assimilates  us  to  the  angels. 


THE  FATHER  THE  PROTOTYPE  OF  THE  SON.  53 


1.  The  subject  may  inspire  God's  people  with  confidence.  The 
Savior,  we  trust,  is  the  mighty  God,  the  everlasting  Father,  the  Prince 
of  peace.  He  is  doubtless  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that 
come  unto  God  through  him.  How  can  we  distrust  such  a  Savior  1  or 
be  ashamed  of  such  a  Savior  1  ot  live  in  the  neglect  of  such  a  Savior  1 
What  a  glory  does  his  Godhead  give  to  the  scheme  of  redemption. 
Those  whose  Savior  is  a  man  or  angel  may  well  yield  to  gloom 
and  despondency  ;  but  he  whose  Savior  built  and  will  judge  the 
world,  is  the  mighty  God,  has  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death,  may 
cast  off  every  fear,  may  rejoice  and  be  happy. 

2.  The  subject  may  show  us  how  great  is  the  crime  of  reject- 
ing the  Savior.  If  God  himself  would  come  down  to  save  us,  our 
salvation  must  be  an  important  object,  and  our  ruin  an  incalcu- 
lable loss.  And  how  daring  the  impudence  of  disregardino-  a 
message  brought  to  us  from  heaven  by  the  Son  of  God  !  How 
tremendous  must  be  the  ruin  of  gospel  sinners ! 

3.  The  subject  may  help  us  to  try  our  religion.  If  in  Jesus 
Christ  we  see  the  whole  of  the  Divine  character,  we  may  by 
discovering  whether  we  love  him,  know  whether  we  love  the 
Father. 


SERMON    XLVI. 

THE  HONEST   AND   FAITHFUL  MINISTRY. 

CORINTHIANS    IV.     1,    2. 

Therefore,  seeing  we  have  this  ministry,  ag  we  have  received  mercy,  we  faint  not;  Inn  liave 

renounced  the  hidden  things  of  dishonesty,  not  walking  in  craftiness,  nor  handling  the  word  of  God 

deceitfully  ;  but  by  manifestation  of  the  truth,  commending  ourselves  to  every  man's  conscience 

in  the  sight  of  God. 

The  ministry  of  the  reconciliation  is  an  office  peculiar  as  to  its 
responsibility,  its  trials,  its  honors,  and  its  enjoyments.  We  are 
placed  in  the  office  through  the  instrumentality  of  men,  but  have 
our  commission  from  heaven.  We  negotiate  a  reconciliation  be- 
tween God,  and  a  rebel  world.  Men  are  saved  by  our  ministry,  if 
we  do  our  duty  ;  if  we  are  unfaithful  they  are  lost.  If  we  ^,ive 
them  not  the  timely  alarm,  we  must  answer  for  their  blood.  We 
must  meet  our  hearers  in  the  last  day,  at  the  judgment  seat,  and 
must  know,  when  no  mistake  can  be  corrected,  what  has  been  the 
bearing  of  our  ministry  upon  their  everlasting  destiny. 

Hence  we  must  do  our  duty,  at  the  risk  of  interest,  reputation, 
and  life.  Under  every  dispensation,  the  messengers  of  God  have 
but  one  plain  track,  they  must  hazard  the  danger  of  being  faithful. 
Jeremiah  might  not  withhold  his  message,  when  he  must  write  in  a 
dungeon,  when  he  must  anathematize  the  monarch  who  imprison- 
ed him,  and  when  his  message  would  impeach  his  loyalty  and  his 
patriotism,  and  endanger  his  life.  Paul  must  do  his  duty  in  the 
face  of  stripes,  the  dungeon,  and  the  cross.  The  hope  that  we 
can  fully  please  the  holy  God,  who  sends  us,  and  the  disloyal  to 
whom  we  are  sent,  is  a  fruitless  hope  ;  and  none  but  the  traitor 
will  ask,  whose  pleasure  he  shall  seek.  If  we  had  no  interest  of 
our  own  to  risk,  the  honest  man  would  aim  to  do  his  Master  honor. 
But  pesonal  perdition  hangs  over  us  if  we  compromise  the  honors 
of  our  Lord.  Men  should  be  pleased  with  us  when  we  do  our  dutj', 
but  men  are  not  what  they  should  be,  else  they  had  needed  no  gospel. 
The  same  depravity  that  prompts  them  to  hate  the  government  of 
Jehovah,  renders  them  hostile  to  any  conditions  of  peace,  that  will 
consist  with  his  honor.  Hence  the  minister  of  Christ,  who  culti- 
vates a  bending  conscience,  and  is  seen  carefully  providing  for 
himself,  at  the  expense  of  his  Master,  is  of  all  men  the  most  mis- 
erable, and  the  most  contemptible. 


THE    HONEST    AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY.  55 

But  upon  a  ministry  thus  exposed,  God  has  poured  the  highest 
honors.  Not  the  gospel  simply,  but  the  gospel  in  the  lips  of  men, 
he  has  pledged  himself  to  use  as  the  grand  instrument  of  redeem- 
ing the  world.  "  Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as 
though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us  :  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead, 
be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  Not  the  very  angels,  who  minister  to 
those  who  shall  be  the  heirs  of  salvation,  have  a  commission  more 
dignified.  We  are  workers  together  with  God,  in  laying  the  foun- 
dation and  rearing  the  superstructure  of  a  spiritual  temple,  whose 
topstones  are  to  be  laid  with  shouting,  Grace,  grace,  unto  it ! 

And  with  the  responsibility  and  the  trials  of  the  office,  God  has 
mingled  not  only  honors^  but  enjoyments.  The  work  is  pleasant. 
To  study  divine  truth  and  proclaim  the  divine  honor ;  to  be  con- 
versant with  sacraments  and  Sabbaths,  with  prayer  and  praise,  is 
living,  if  the  heart  be  right,  hard  by  the  Oracle  of  God.  And 
when  the  work  is  done,  the  reward  is  great.  They  that  turn  many 
to  righteousness,  are  to  shine  in  the  kingdom  of  their  father,  and 
as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever. 

The  apostle  in  the  context  had  been  commending  his  office  : 
had  showed,  by  various  arguments,  that  it  was  more  honorable 
than  a  ministry  under  the  law.  The  law  he  denominates  the  letter, 
the  gospel  the  spirit.  That  was  the  ministration  of  condemnation 
and  death  ;  this  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  ministration 
of  righteousness.  The  legal  ministration  was  temporary,  but  that 
of  the  gospel  remains  a  lasting  and  permanent  establishment.  Hence 
Moses,  conscious  that  he  was  the  minister  of  a  dispensation  that 
would  soon  be  eclipsed  by  one  more  glorious,  veiled  his  face. 
But  the  heralds  of  the  gospel  may  use  great  plainness  of  speech, 
as  they  proclaim  a  system  in  which  there  is  nothing  dark  or  mys- 
terious. The  true  light  has  shined  ;  the  veil  is  taken  away,  and 
we  now  behold  the  glory  of  God,  not  enveloped  in  clouds  and 
darkness,  but  Avith  open  face,  as  in  a  glass,  shining  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  dwells  all  the  fullness  of  the  Godhead  bodily. 

And  while  we  gaze  upon  this  brightness,  we  are  changed  into 
the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory.  And  all  is  accomplished  by 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  else  the  world  had  abode  still  in  its  native 
hideous  darkness.  Thus  does  the  apostle,  when  he  contemplates 
the  dispensation  of  which  he  is  a  minister,  rise  to  a  tone  of  triumph, 
where  language  and  figure  are  exhausted.  Therefore,  says  he, 
seeing  we  have  this  ministry,  we  faint  not.  The  office  is  so  dig- 
nified, that  no  trials  shall  shake  our  confidence,  no  onset  subdue 
our  courage.     We  will   neither  use  dishonesty,  craft,  or  deceit. 


56  THE    HONEST    AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY. 

but  commend  ourselves  to  every  man's  conscience,  by  manifesting' 
the  truth.  Thus  interesting  is  the  attitude  in  which  the  apostle 
places  himself,  and  all  who  after  him  should  publish  salvation  to  a 
dying  world.  Following  the  train  of  thought  he  suggests,  I 
remark, 

I.  The  mercy  of  God  qualifies  men  to  be  his  ministers.  The  very 
messengers  he  employs  are  by  nature  hostile  to  the  truths  and 
glories  which  the  gospel  reveals,  and  to  the  temper  and  duties  it 
enjoins.  The  character  of  God  and  of  the  Savior  displeases  them„ 
There  cluster  in  the  Godhead  the  very  attributes  that  render  cha- 
racter unlovely  to  the  carnal  mind.  We  naturally  spurn  the  king- 
dom that  God  erects,  and  the  heaven  he  reveals.  All  that  wa& 
odious  in  the  law,  and  more  yet,  we  see  in  the  gospel,  till  the 
eyes  of  our  understandings  are  enlightened.  It  contains  a  law  as 
rigid,  as  that  which  issued  from  the  flames  of  Sinai,  while  it  digs 
a  deeper  pit,  and  kindles  a  more  consumi?ig  fire  than  were  employed 
to  avenge  the  broken  law  of  Moses. 

We  are  by  nature  like  our  hearers,  the  prey  of  a  carnal  mind^ 
that  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God.  Hence,  till  the  grace  of 
God  renew  us,  how  disqualified  are  we  to  be  ministers  of  the  re- 
conciliation !  But  of  just  such  men,  sanctified,  he  makes  minis- 
ters. He  forgives  them,  and  loves  them,  and  they  are  then  called 
to  plead  with  rebels,  just  such  as  they  were  themselves  up  to  the 
hour  of  the  new  birth.  They  have  but  just  quitted  the  standard 
of  revolt,  and  lo  !  they  are  seen  standing  hard  by  the  host  they 
have  abandoned,  proclaiming  a  pardon  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  Paul  had  gone  to  lay  waste  that  very  church,  which  a  few 
days  afterward  it  was  his  honor  and  his  joy  to  edify.  The  de- 
vourer  was  caught  with  the  very  prey  in  his  teeth,  and  was  made 
a  lamb.  The  disciples  were  afraid  of  him  ;  nor  can  we  wonder  r 
a  few  days  gone  and  he  was  a  fiend ;  and  very  much  s»  of  all 
Christ's  ministers.  We  mingled  with  the  congregation  of  the  un- 
godly, and  could  resist  the  kindest  entreaties  of  a  pitying  Re- 
deemer. Not  one  of  all  the  multitude  had  a  conscience  more 
polluted,  or  a  temper  more  revolting.  If  grace  has  sanctified  us, 
how  surprising  our  escape.  Perdition  we  deserved,  but  are  made 
the  messengers  of  life.  What  a  humiliating  retrospect  f  One 
look  behind,  covers  us  with  shame,  cast  we  that  look  but  through 
a  little  space.  Then  the  overtures  of  the  gospel,  which  we  now 
proclaim,  were  like  music  to  the  deaf  adder.  Some  of  us,  perhaps, 
were  pressing  on  to  perdition  like  Paul,  in  the  very  van   of  that 


THE    HONEST    AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY.  57 

multitude  which  now  it  is  our  effort  to  save.  On  this  point  I 
hardly  know  how  to  say  enough.  We  were  "  aliens  from  the 
commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  strangers  from  the  covenants  of  pro- 
mise, having  no  hope,  and  without  God  in  the  world."  We 
"  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the 
prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the 
children  of  disobedience." 

And  we  had  a  mind  as  benighted,  as  was  the  heart  depraved. 
Whether  the  apostle  had  reference  or  not  to  the  supernatural 
gifts,  by  which  he  and  his  fellows  had  become  qualified  to  serve 
God  in  the  gospel,  we  may  well  ascribe  to  his  grace  any  small 
degrees  of  preparation  in  us  for  such  an  embassy.  That  gospel 
which  it  has  become  our  duty  and  our  delight  to  publish,  little  as 
we  now  understand  it,  was  once  still  less  understood.  The  Bible 
was  a  dead  letter.  Neither  was  the  mind  imbued  with  its  doctrines, 
nor  the  memory  stored  with  its  facts,  nor  the  tongue  used  to  its 
dialect.  It  seems  incredible,  when  we  look  as  it  were  but  to  yes- 
terday, and  recollect  how  gross  was  our  ignorance  of  the  gospel, 
that  we  should  now  be  the  teachers  of  that  same  religion  to  the 
multitudes  who  are  perishing  as  we  were  for  lack  of  knowledge. 
But  the  grace  of  God  furnished  us  the  means  of  improvement,  and 
poured  in  the  few  rays  of  light,  covered  as  we  still  are  with  igno- 
rance, by  the  aid  of  which  light  we  are  introduced  into  an  office 
similar  to  that  which  once  was  filled  by  the  Son  of  God. 

But  the  grace  of  God  was  still  conspicuous,  else  our  unworthi- 
ness  had  debarred  us  from  a  situation  so  sublime  and  so  honored. 
Might  we  but  have  occupied  the  obscurest  place  in  God's  house, 
been  only  door-keepers,  it  had  been  more  than  we  deserved.  The 
shame  of  having  been  totally  depraved,  and  the  guilt  of  having 
stood  in  the  ranks  of  revolt  so  long,  the  habits  of  indolence  we 
had  acquired,  and  the  still  remaining  passions,  and  prejudices,  and 
the  whole  catalogue  of  moral  plagues,  deep  rooted  in  our  nature  — 
all  seemed  to  forbid  us  the  occupancy  of  a  station  so  honored. 
God  has  indeed  committed  the  treasure  of  the  gospel  to  earthen 
vessels,  that  the  excellency  of  the  power  may  be  of  him  and  not 
of  us.  How  well  does  the  language  of  the  prophet  become  us. 
"  Behold,  Lord,  I  cannot  speak,  for  I  am  a  child."  And  that  of 
the  apostle,  "  Unto  me  whom  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints  is 
this  grace  given,  that  I  should  preach  among  the  Gentiles  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ." 

And  where  is  it  that  God  has  put  us  1  Into  almost  the  very 
same  office  once  filled  by  prophets  and  apostles,  and  even  by  the 

VOL.  II.  8 


58  THE    HONEST    AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY. 

Lord  Jesus  himself.  He  has  emancipated  slaves,  and  sent  them 
to  invite  back  a  strayed  world.  He  has  placed  us  on  the  ramparts 
of  his  Zion,  and  has  entrusted  the  prosperity  of  his  kingdom,  the 
honor  of  his  government,  the  vindication  of  his  law,  and  the  glo- 
ries of  his  name,  to  our  sleepless,  and  watchful,  and  devoted  fideli- 
ty. On  our  way  to  the  place  of  execution,  and  the  halter  about 
our  necks,  he  hailed  us,  and  pardoned  us,  and  now  here  Ave  stand, 
between  the  condemned,  and  the  arm  of  justice,  between  the  burn- 
ing glories  of  the  Godhead,  and  the  wretches  whom  his  ire  threat- 
ens to  consume.  We  are  occupying  the  station  that  Moses  filled, 
while  Israel  were  dancing  around  the  golden  calf;  or  that  of 
David  while  he  oflJered  sacrifice  on  the  threshing  floor  of  the  Jeb- 
usite  ;  or  that  of  Abraham  when  he  sent  up  his  last  petition  in 
behalf  of  the  devoted  cities — to  turn  away  the  wrath  of  heaven, 
to  stay  the  plague,  to  ward  off  the  storm  of  fire,  and  save,  if  it  be 
possible,  the  abandoned  transgressor. 

Connected  with  our  fidelity,  are  the  everlasting  hosannas  of  a 
multitude  that  no  man  can  number,  or  with  our  neglects,  the 
weepings  and  wailings  of  the  damned.  Ah,  why  did  the  holy  God 
attach  so  high  an  office  to  beings  so  debased.  Why  did  he  not 
commission  angels,  who  would  have  been  faithful,  and  who  were 
worthy  of  his  honors.  They  would  have  brought  no  pollution 
with  them,  would  have  made  no  compromise  of  truth,  would  have 
exhibited  no  dire  instances  of  apostacy,  would  have  seen  eye  to 
eye,  and  might  have  gathered  in  the  elect  from  the  ranks  of  revolt, 
leaving  wholly  behind  that  multitude  of  hypocrites,  who  now  pol- 
lute the  ordinances  of  God.  Well  may  we  exclaim,  "  1  am  a 
worm  and  no  man,"  and  ascribe,  with  the  apostle,  our  appointment 
to  the  work,  and  our  equipment  for  it,  all  our  success  in  it,  and 
the  reward,  if  any  should  be  ours,  to  the  grace  of  God. 

II.  The  ministry  of  the  reconciliation  is  an  office  big  vnth  trials. 
This  we  should  infer  from  its  very  nature.  We  are  the  agents  of 
negotiation,  between  God,  a  holy  and  a  good  Jehovah,  and  men 
who  hate  his  character,  his  government,  and  his  glory.  We 
preach  a  gospel  which,  till  men  are  sanctified,  they  cannot  love. 
We  are  directed  to  describe  their  character,  in  all  its  odiousness, 
and  show  that  they  have  been  unreasonable  and  vile  in  every  prin- 
ciple, and  in  every  act  of  their  revolt.  We  must  warn  them  of  a 
coming  moment  when  all  their  sin  and  their  shame  must  be  un- 
covered. We  dare  hide  from  them  no  part  of  the  truth,  whether 
they  will  hear  or  forbear :  must  show  them  that  not  merely  is 


THE    HONEST    AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY.  59 

their  conduct  offensive  to  God,  but  every  imagination  of  the  thought 
of  the  heart,  is  evil,  only  evil  continually.  We  must  inculcate 
principles  that  violate  every  inbred  sentiment  of  their  hearts,  and 
press  maxims,  and  doctrines  and  duties,  that  give  their  whole 
conduct  the  lie,  and  cover  their  whole  character  with  guilt  and 
pollution.  We  must  assure  them  that,  as  God  is  true  it  will  be 
ill  with  the  wicked  in  every  stage  of  their  being,  and  in  whatever 
world  God  may  place  them.  We  must  uncover  the  pit  before 
them,  must  prophesy  evil  concerning  them,  must  say  loudly  and 
fearlessly,  that  the  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell,  and  all  the 
nations  that  forget  God,  where  their  worm  shall  not  die,  nor  their 
fire  be  quenched. 

But  it  needs  no  prescience  to  feel  assured  that  all  this  will  not 
please.  Men  are  not  disposed  to  have  their  characters  laid  bare, 
and  their  hopes  destroyed.  The  refuge  of  lies  where  they  have 
taken  sanctuary,  they  will  not  allow  us  with  impunity  to  demolish. 
The  god  of  this  world  persuades  them  that  he  is  their  enemy  who 
thus  beforehand  brands  them  with  the  marks  of  perdition. 

And  while  we  are  thus  liable  to  offend,  we  depend  on  them  for 
support.  While  every  doctrine  we  preach,  and  every  duty  we 
urge,  and  every  woe  we  announce,  are  at  issue  with  the  strongest 
biases  of  their  hearts,  we  expect  them  to  clothe  our  children,  and 
fill  our  board  with  bread.  While  they  are  in  the  very  act  of  doino^ 
us  a  kindness,  we  may  see  them  violate  the  law  of  God,  and  may 
be  under  the  odious  necessity  of  returning  the  favor  with  reproof. 

Hence  trials  come  as  certainly  as  death.  If  we  watch  the  in- 
terest we  are  set  to  watch,  and  cannot  be  bribed  to  perfidy,  there 
will  grow  thorns  in  our  path,  and  we  shall  wet  our  couch  with 
tears.  Hence  the  fact  that  the  Lord's  servants  have  been  stoned, 
have  been  sawn  asunder,  have  been  tempted,  have  been  slain  with 
the  sword,  have  wandered  about  in  sheepskins  and  goatskins,  been 
destitute,  afflicted,  tormented.  Hence  the  scenes  of  persecution 
that  fill  the  pages  of  ecclesiastical  history,  the  agonies  of  the  cross, 
the  fires  of  the  stake,  the  inquisitorial  dungeons,  and  the  whole 
catalogue  of  plagues,  that  have  borne  off  the  stage  the  armies 
of  the  martyrs. 

III.  This  same  ministry  furnishes  an  antidote  to  the  wo  it  gene7-ates. 
It  is,  of  all  the  appointments  of  the  court  of  heaven,  the  first.  The 
leader  of  Israel  had  a  commission  less  dignified.  He  was  the  min- 
ister of  a  transient  service,  promulgated  a  temporary  economy, 
was  conversant  with  types  and  symbols.     He  released  men  from 


60  THE    HONEST    AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY. 

the  chains  of  a  human  and  temporary  bondage,  led  them  to  an 
earthly  Canaan,  and  built  them  a  perishable  sanctuary.  But  all 
these  were  the  mere  shadows  of  good  things  to  come.  Ours  is 
the  office,  not  of  typifying,  but  of  substantiating  ;  not  of  predictifig, 
but  o(  narrating  ;  not  of  breaking  the  bands  of  a  temporary  bondage, 
but  the  league  with  death,  and  the  agreement  with  hell  ;  not  of  lead- 
ing men  to  a  paradise  of  hills  and  brooks  of  water,  but  to  a  city 
not  made  with  bands,  eternal  in  the  heavens ;  not  to  a  crumbling 
material  sanctuary,  but  to  the  very  throne  itself  of  God.  Under 
the  ministration  we  occupy,  Sinai  blazes  not  with  wrath,  but  with 
glory,  God  is  seen  not  through  a  veil  but  with  open  face  ;  "  Mercy 
and  truth  are  met  together,  righteousness  and  peace  have  kissed 
each  other." 

Such  the  office  ;  every  trial  is  light.  He  who  may  fill  the  first 
embassy  in  a  kingdom,  will  suffer  any  privations,  will  risk  any 
dangers,  will  endure  any  trials,  will  submit  to  any  hardships.  He 
will  traverse,  with  such  a  commission,  the  dreariest  heaths,  and 
the  stormiest  seas,  will  inhale  in  any  clime  the  most  polluted  at- 
mosphere, will  live  in  the  wildest  solitude,  with  beings  the  most 
rapacious  and  bloody.  And  shall  men  endure,  supported  by  the 
honors  of  a  human  embassy,  trials,  dangers,  and  death,  without 
complaint,  which  the  minister  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  with  the  high 
hopes  that  attach  to  his  office,  cannot  endure  1  If  insulted  we 
think  of  our  commission,  and  feel  the  inspiration  of  its  honors,  and 
instantly  rise  superior  to  shame.  He  whom  heaven  has  commis- 
sioned, needs  no  human  applause  to  animate  him.  "  He  that  des- 
piseth  you,  despiseth  me  ;  and  he  that  despiseth  me,  despiseth  him 
that  sent  me."  And  what  if  men  do  condemn,  while  God  ap- 
proves 1  There  lies  an  appeal  from  every  human  tribunal.  To 
none  of  these  lower  courts  are  we  amenable,  in  a  sense  that  can 
excite  alarm.  Said  an  apostle,  "  It  is  a  very  small  thing  that  I 
should  be  judged  of  you,  or  of  man's  judgment."  To  our  own 
Master  we  stand  or  fall.  If  our  message  does  not  please  men,  we 
have  only  to  see  to  it,  that  it  has  not  been  altered  in  our  hands, 
and,  if  not,  take  courage.  When  we  can  see  affixed  to  every  doc- 
trine we  preach  the  broad  seal  of  heaven,  we  have  no  farther  con- 
cern, except  to  inquire  if  we  have  chosen  out  acceptable  words, 
and  felt  a  right  spirit.  If  to  the  book  of  instruction  we  add  or 
diminish,  the  deed  blots  our  names  from  the  book  of  life,  and 
brings  upon  our  heads  the  plagues  recorded.  If  men  will  not  hear 
us,  we  have  only  to  weep  in  secret  places  for  their  pride. 

If  to  men  it  should  seem  that  we  urge  them  too  assiduously,  we 


THE    HONEST   AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY.  61 

have  only  to  assure  them  that  they  must  believe  or  die.  The  di- 
rection is,  "  Cry  aloud,  spare  not,  lift  up  thy  voice  like  a  trumpet, 
and  show  my  people  their  transgression,  and  the  house  of  Jacob 
their  sins."  Our  stand  is  between  men  and  the  pit,  and  our  busi- 
ness to  stop  them.  If  they  now  think  us  too  urgent,  they  will 
curse  our  supineness  when  they  have  perished.  Before  we  have 
done  with  them,  they  will  know  the  truth  of  all  we  have  said,  and 
more  yet,  and  will  wonder  that  we  could  believe  it  at  all,  and  pro- 
claim it  so  coldly. 

If  men  are  angry,  still  there  is  hope.  This  may  be  the  first 
step  to  conviction  and  faith,  and  they  may  still  be  our  crown  of 
rejoicing  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  gospel  may  produce 
wrath,  and  still  be  a  savor  of  life.  The  tenant  of  the  tombs  raved, 
and  then  believed.  Our  assurance  is  that  Christ  is  able  to  bind 
the  strong  man. 

But  then  we  fear  the  worst,  and  have  no  hope  that  the  miserable 
beings  will  live,  whom  we  would  warn  and  waken,  still  we  may 
be  to  Christ  a  sweet  savor,  though  it  be  of  death  unto  death. 
Christ  has  not  suspended  our  reward  on  our  success.  He  will  pro- 
vide for  his  ministers  who  have  dared  to  be  faithful,  though  the 
whole  population  of  the  apostacy  should  go  in  a  mass  to  perdition. 
"  Though  Israel  be  not  gathered,  yet  shall  I  be  glorious  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Lord."  For  the  faithfulness  of  our  ministry,  not  for 
the  effects  ;  for  the  good  we  intended  to  do,  not  for  the  good  we 
have  done,  shall  we  be  tried  in  the  last  day.  If  the  Lord  has  made 
us  rulers  over  his  house,  to  give  them  their  meat  in  due  season, 
blessed  are  those  servants  whom  their  Lord  when  he  cometh  shall 
find  so  doing.  And  he  will  soon  return.  In  a  few  days  we  shall 
have  his  decision  upon  our  conduct,  and  till  then  it  is  of  small 
importance  what  is  human  opinion  respecting  us. 

Thus  the  godly  minister  takes  courage.  If  our  toil  be  hard,  we 
serve  a  good  master,  and  the  period  of  rest  is  nigh.  If  we  should 
even  faint  and  die  under  the  fatigues  of  the  service,  still  we  can 
die  in  no  other  circumstances  so  honorably.  If  our  present  pri- 
vations are  many,  and  our  joys  few,  there  is  just  before  us  a  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory.  If  the  corner  of  the 
vineyard  where  we  labor  is  unpromising,  still  we  know  that  Christ 
shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  be  satified.  We  have  only 
to  fill  the  place  appointed  us,  as  God  shall  give  us  ability,  and  for 
what  remains  he  will  provide.  Do  we  but  cast  our  seed  corn  upon 
the  moist  field,  we  shall  see  it  after  many  days.  Should  the  seed 
lie  buried  in  the  dust  till  we  are  in   heaven,  we   may  still  see  the 


62  THE    HOWEST    AND    FAITHFUL    BUNISTRY. 

fruit  of  our  toil.  Thus  our  commission  so  presents  its  consola- 
tions in  the  time  of  trial,  that  we  may  well  say  with  the  apostle, 
"  Having  this  ministry  as  we  have  received  mercy,  we  faint  not." 

IV.  Tke  text  prescribes  that  open  and  ingenuous  conduct,  which  it 
is  the  duty  of  Christ''s  ministers  on  all  occasions  to  exhibit.  Let  us 
notice  them, 

1.  In  their  daily  walk.  The  apostle  says  of  himself  and  his 
fellows,  probably  in  allusion  to  the  intrigue  and  duplicity  of  the 
false  teachers,  "  That  they  renounced  the  hidden  things  of  dishon- 
esty, and  did  not  walk  in  craftiness."  He  does  not  mean  to  imply 
that  this  had  ever  been  their  course.  They  had,  from  the  period 
of  their  vocation  to  the  apostleship,  refused  to  reach  any  point  of 
enterprise,  by  deception  and  fraud.  Even  when  Paul  says  of  him- 
self, that,  on  a  certain  occasion,  being  crafty,  he  caught  them  with 
guile,  he  is  thought  merely  to  have  alluded  to  the  language  of  his 
enemies. 

The  ministers  of  Christ  have  nothing  to  hide,  have  no  budget  of 
secrets,  and  may  say  and  do  nothing  that  is  inconsistent  with 
simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  either  in  their  social  and  commer- 
cial transactions,  or  in  connection  with  the  functions  of  their 
office.  The  world  will  doubt,  if  we  show  duplicity  in  one  case, 
whether  we  are  sincere  in  any  case.  If  we  can  smile  complacently 
upon  the  man  we  would  betray  and  ruin  ;  if  with  one  hand  we 
can  embrace,  while  the  dagger  is  fast  held  in  the  other  ;  can 
soothe.,  and  flatter,  and  hate  ;  men  will  have  no  confidence  in  us, 
when  we  thunder  the  anathemas  of  the  law,  or  breathe  out  the 
counsels  and  the  accents  of  mercy.  If  it  cannot  be  said  of  the 
minister  of  Christ,  that  he  is  a  sincere  and  honest  man,  nothing 
can  be  said  of  him  that  does  not  put  the  whole  brotherhood  to 
shame.  The  man  may  be  able  in  theology,  and  in  oratory,  may 
be  a  profound  general  scholar,  may  have  made  the  multitude  bow 
to  him;  but  if  he  be,  to  adopt  a  very  homely,  though  a  very  sig- 
nificant figure,  a  two-sided  man  ;  if  his  assent  and  his  smile  are 
not  tokens  of  approbation,  and  we  may  fear  he  will  betray  us, 
when  pledged  to  serve  us,  then  has  he  not  renounced  the  hidden 
things  of  dishonesty,  and  will  be  as  readily  suspected  of  insincerity 
in  the  pulpit  as  by  the  fireside.  Heaven's  ambassador  must  ex- 
hibit in  his  countenance,  and  on  the  face  of  his  Avhole  deportment, 
the  simplicity  of  the  man  of  God.  The  veriest  wretch  with  whom 
he  has  intercourse,  ought  not  to  doubt  for  a  moment  his  honesty. 

Toward  his  ministerial  brethren,  duplicity   is  doubly  odious. 


THE    HONEST    AND    FAITHFUL     MINISTRY.  63 

We  are  but  distinct  agents,  attached  to  the  same  grand  embassy, 
and  sent  to  make  overtures  to  the  same  disloyal  multitude.  When 
we  have  no  trust  in  each  other,  the  foe  is  strengthened,  and  our 
defeat  and  shame  sure — the  least  approximation  to  duplicity  de- 
stroys confidence.  We  may  differ  in  shades  of  doctrine  and  points 
of  duty,  and  still,  if  honest  men,  may  co-operate,  and  there  may 
be  in  the  general  embassy  an  efficiency  and  a  unity,  that  shall  pour 
honor  upon  Christ,  and  shame  upon  the  adversary.  We  must  have 
confidence  in  each  other's  prompt  and  cordial  co-operation,  or  the 
world  we  have  come  to  sanctify,  will  be  strengthened  in  every 
deadly  and  desperate  principle  of  revolt,  and  will  sleep  on  till  they 
are  waked  by  the  terrors  of  the  last  trumpet. 

The  motives  to  such  a  confidence  are  obvious.  Our  trials  and 
our  enemies  are  numerous,  and  are  the  same,  and  the  same  our 
joys  and  our  friends.  We  serve  the  same  Master,  and  hope  for 
the  same  heaven.  Without  an  asylum  in  each  other's  bosom,  in 
this  outcast  world,  where  we  find  so  rarely  an  honest  friend,  we 
should  be  the  loneliest  of  all  flesh.  No  union  can  be  more  sacred. 
There  is  not  only  Christian  sympathy,  but  the  fellowship  of  office. 
There  belong  to  the  sacred  ministry  special  hopes  and  promises. 
In  what  relationship  do  the  hidden  things  of  dishonesty  wear  an 
aspect  so  monstrous,  or  wage  a  war  so  cruel,  as  when  they  disturb 
the  intercourse,  and  break  the  compact  that  binds  together  the 
ambassadors  of  the  Lord  Jesus  1  One  would  sooner  lose  confi- 
dence in  his  mother's  children,  and  betray  his  offspring,  than  see 
marred  the  fellowship  of  the  Divine  legation.  That  Jesuitical 
fraud,  nicknamed  pious,  so  long  current  in  the  church  of  Rome,  is 
the  worm  that  now  devours  that  polluted  community.  May  it  go, 
with  its  foster  mother,  to  perdition,  and  never  find  a  lodgment  iu 
the  bosom  of  Christ's  ministers.  Let  us  notice  the  minister  of 
Christ, 

2.  In  his  official  capacity.  While  the  apostles  renounced  the 
hidden  things  of  dishonesty,  and  would  not  walk  in  craftiness,  so 
neither  would  they  handle  the  word  of  God  deceitfully.  They  would 
not,  nor  may  we,  hide,  misrepresent,  or  leave  out  of  view,  any 
truth,  meant  to  be  conveyed  to  us  in  our  Book  of  instructions. 
The  ambassador  of  Christ  resolves,  that  the  Bible,  in  all  its  plain- 
ness and  simplicity,  shall  be  permitted  to  pour  forth  its  precepts, 
its  doctrines,  its  denunciations,  unadulterated,  upon  the  congre- 
gated multitude  of  the  ungodly.  To  inquire,  what  is  pleasing, 
and  what  is  popular,  and  what  is  safe,  belongs  only  to  the  traitor, 
who  would  make  a  kiss  the  signal  of  arrest. 


64  THE    HONEST    AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY. 

We  may  choose  out  acceptable  words,  may  watch  for  the  best 
moment  when  to  press  an  unwelcome  truth  :  this  is  duty.  And 
in  illustrating  truth  we  may  put  to  use  all  the  softness  and  sweet- 
ness of  language  and  figure  that  is  possible,  still  no  truth  may  be 
covered  up  or  misstated.  We  may  say  to  the  righteous,  it  shall 
be  well  with  them,  but  we  must  with  equal  plainness  say  to  the 
wicked,  it  shall  be  ill  with  them.  "  He  that  believeth  shall  be 
saved,  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned."  We  may 
dwell  upon  the  glories  of  heaven,  till  we,  and  all  about  us  who 
believe,  shall  long  to  ascend,  but  we  must  also  raise  the  covering 
of  the  pit,  till  the  ungodly,  if  they  will  not  repent,  shall  begin  to 
feel  the  scorch  of  its  torments.  He  who  would  not  handle  the 
word  of  God  deceitfully,  cannot  suffer  his  unregenerate  hearers 
to  choose  what  doctrines  he  shall  preach,  or  what  duties  he  shall 
urge,  or  what  follies  he  shall  spare,  or  what  the  fervency  of  soul 
he  shall  breathe  into  his  message.  If  he  believe  a  doctrine,  he 
will  not  hide  his  faith  ;  if  there  prevail  an  error,  he  dare  not 
conceal  his  dissent ;  nor  against  any  vice,  however  popular,  can 
fail  to  bear  his  prompt  and  unequivocal  testimony. 

The  minister  of  the  gospel,  who  conceals  his  faith,  is  a  traitor, 
and  goes  over  soon  to  the  enemy.  And  while  he  stays  he  is  a 
plague  and  a  nuisance.  *'  If  the  trumpet  give  an  uncertain  sound, 
who  shall  prepare  himself  to  the  battle."  Why  have  a  plain  and 
pungent  and  intelligible  Bible,  and  put  it  into  the  hands  of  a  crafty 
ministry,  to  be  neutralized  and  tamed,  and  mangled,  before  it  can 
reach  the  conscience  1  As  well  may  the  Bible  be  a  riddle,  or  a 
dream,  as  the  herald  a  knave..  He  can  fritter  down  its  doctrines 
till  the  whole  Book  is  a  mere  ballad.  A  people  with  such  a  minis- 
try are  in  a  case  as  pitiable  as  the  wandering  Tartar 

V.  The  text  instructs  Christ''s  ministers  how  they  may  best  com- 
mend themselves  to  the  consciences  of  men.  By  manifestation  of  the 
truth.  To  be  useful,  we  must  have  an  advocate  in  the  conscience 
of  the  people.  Many  may  not  relish  the  doctrines  we  deliver,  and 
may  hate  our  faithfulness,  but  there  may  still  be,  and  there  must 
be  the  conviction,  that  we  are  honest  men,  who  act  witli  reference 
to  the  judgment.  In  such  a  case,  one  may  be  useful,  even  to  the 
men  who  cordially  disrelish  the  whole  testimony  of  God.  They 
may  kindle  with  rage  at  the  juncture  when  the  truth  has  found  an 
avenue  to  the  conscience. 

And  this  ascendancy  is  gained  by  an  undisguised  exhibition  of 
the  truth.     When  men  see  that  we  dare  not  go  beyond  the  word 


THE    HONEST    AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY.  65 

of  the  Lord,  and  that  we  dare  say  all  that  God  has  bidden  us  j 
that  we  feel  ourselves  fast  bound  by  the  letter  of  our  commission, 
then  the  conscience  of  our  people,  if  well  enlightened,  will  take 
part  with  God,  and  do  homage  to  our  integrity.  They  may  wish, 
that  we  would  alter,  somewhat,  the  message  we  have  received  from 
heaven,  may  even  demand  that  the  point  of  truth  be  blunted,  may  re- 
fuse to  attend  upon  a  ministry  that  handles  so  unceremoniously  their 
passions,  their  practice,  and  their  prejudices  ;  but  if  we  comply,  we 
lose  their  respect,  and  their  judgment  denounces  us  contemptible 
hypocrites.  They  would  rejoice  to  be  successful,  but  the  mpral 
sense  would  reprobate  us.  While  men  writhe  under  the  thrusts 
of  truth,  they  yield  the  highest  homage  to  the  man  whom  no 
bribery  can  corrupt,  who  can  be  contentedly  poor  and  homeless, 
but  cannot  be  treacherous. 

The  American  ambassador  at  some  foreign  court,  may  give  of- 
fence, by  pressing  our  claims  ;  but  should  he  violate  his  commis- 
sion, and  compromise  the  honor  of  his  country  and  the  rights  of 
his  constituents,  he  would  lose  all  respect  abroad  and  at  home,  and 
sink  into  deep  and  lasting  contempt.  Let  it  be  seen  early  that  no 
threat  can  scare  us,  that  no  bribe  can  buy  us,  that  no  considera- 
tions of  ease,  honor,  or  affluence,  can  for  a  moment,  put  our 
integrity  to  a  stand,  or  bring  us  to  yield  an  inch  of  the  ter- 
ritory of  truth :  thus  we  give  evidence  that  we  have  a  con- 
science, and  the  enemy  will  be  afraid  that  God  will  protect  us. 
Men  suspect,  in  this  case,  that  our  message  is  true,  and  fear  that 
their  obstinacy  will  undo  them,  and,  feel  as  they  may,  they  yield 
us  respect.  Here  that  Divine  maxim  is  verified,  "  whosover  will 
save  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  but  whosoever  will  lose  his  life  for  my 
sake,  the  same  shall  save  it."  The  most  contemptible  of  all  men, 
is  the  man  who  holds  this  high  commission,  but  employs  his  talents 
to  lower  down  the  terms  of  reconciliation,  to  the  wishes  of  the 
unsanctified.  He  will  stand  yoked  with  the  wretch  who  betrays 
his  country,  and  goes  over  to  be  hated  and  despised  in  the  camp 
and  country  of  the  enemy.  But  the  man  who  is  true  to  his  Lord, 
who  sacredly  adheres  to  his  commission,  should  he  not  be  fa- 
vored wtih  any  very  signal  success,  may  be  respected,  aud  happy, 
and  safe. 

Finally — The  apostle  and  his  brethren  felt  themselves  urged  to 
faithfulness,  by  the  consideration,  that  God  was  present.  Com- 
mending ourselves  to  every  man's  conscience,  in  the  sight  of  God. 
It   was   the   last  promise  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  yon 

VOL.  II.  9 


66  THE    HONEST    AND   FAITHFUL   MINISTRY. 

alway  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world!"  The  remotest  idea  of 
compromising  the  truth  is  immediately  known  to  God,  and  is  pe- 
culiarly provoking.  All  sin  is  committed  in  his  presence.  But 
of  all  sins,  how  flagrant  and  daring  is  the  crime  of  deliberately 
altering  the  message  he  has  given  us  to  deliver  to  a  rebel  world  ! 
If  we  are  faithful  he  is  present  to  comfort  and  support  us,  but  if 
we  shrink,  through  the  fear  of  man,  which  bringeth  a  snare,  he  is 
present  to  despise  and  reprobate  us.  Hence,  let  this  be  our  mot- 
to, "  Thou  God  seest  me ;"  and  let  us  live  and  die  under  a  solemn 
impression  of  this  truth.  Let  us  have  a  character,  and  exhibit  a 
conduct  upright  in  his  view.  Then  the  gospel  we  preach  will  be 
to  us  a  savor  of  life  unto  life.  The  all-seeing  God  will  watch  us 
till  we  die,  will  guard  the  slumbers  of  the  sepulchre,  and  will  raise 
us  to  enjoy  his  smiles  for  ever. 

How  delightful  the  thought,  when  slavish  fear  has  not  chased 
away  hope,  that  we  minister  in  the  very  presence  of  our  master. 
If  we  are  in  our  study  he  is  there,  or  on  our  knees  he  is  there,  or 
in  the  consecrated  pulpit,  he  is  there  ;  to  know  our  embarrassments, 
lay  our  fears,  raise  our  hopes,  and  pour  consolation  into  our  hearts. 
From  what  duty  can  we  shrink,  of  what  foe  be  afraid,  by  what  suf- 
ferings be  disheartened,  while  we  serve  a  God  at  hand  and  not  a 
God  afar  off,  and  may  at  any  moment  roll  our  cares  upon  One  who 
careth  for  us.  He  who  had  not  rather  be  a  minister  of  Christ 
with  all  its  trials,  than  wear  a  crown,  knows  not  the  pleasures  of 
the  service. 


1.  The  subject  is  very  humiliating  to  Christ''s  ministers.  We 
enter  the  office  by  mere  sufferance.  We  were  under  a  sentence 
of  condemnation,  and  any  thing  short  of  perdition  is  mercy,  and 
yet  so  honored  !  Hence  no  position  becomes  us  but  that  of  the 
most  complete  prostration  of  soul.  Our  appropriate  prayer  is, 
"  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner."  From  no  station  of  useful- 
ness, enjoyment  or  honor,  can  we  fail  to  look  back  to  the  rock 
whence  we  were  hewn,  and  the  hole  of  the  pit  whence  we  were 
digged.  None  were  more  unworthy  of  the  office  than  we,  none 
more  richly  deserved  perdition,  or  if  we  reach  heaven  will  cele- 
brate our  escape  from  death  in  sweeter  Alleluias.  How  free,  how 
sovereign,  and  how  rich  the  grace  that  could  raise  such  beings  to 
a  station  so  distinguished  ! 

2.  The  subject  will  help  us  to  judge,  who  are  the  true  ministers 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     They  have  renounced  the  hidden  things 


THE    HONEST    AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY.  67 

of  dishonesty,  do  not  walk  in  craftiness,  nor  handle  the  word  of 
God  deceitfully.  In  the  aspect  of  their  whole  moral  deportment 
there  is  seen  the  open  ingenuousness  of  truth.  When  they  have 
known  the  mind  of  God  they  dare  divulge  it ;  they  dare,  even  if 
the  message  be  unpleasant.  If  faithfulness  should  endanger  their 
interest,  offend  their  benefactors,  cut  off  supplies  from  their  table, 
and  make  their  children  barefoot  and  houseless,  still  in  their  mes- 
sage will  be  seen  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  the  truth  simple,  and 
unadulterated,  as  it  dropped  from  the  lips  of  Jesus.  If  they  must 
be  lodged  in  a  dungeon,  and  see  kindled  the  fires  that  are  to  con- 
sume  them,  still  supported  by  his  presence  who  said,  "  I  will  never 
leave  thee,"  it  is  presumed  you  would  see  associated  with  their 
rags,  and  their  wretchedness  and  martyrdom,  a  soul  too  honest 
to  betray  the  truth. 

But  we  see,  occasionally,  the  opposite  of  all  this.  The  man 
presents  himself  in  the  attitude  of  Christ's  minister,  but  makes  it 
his  great  object  to  accommodate  his  message  to  the  taste  of  the  poor 
dying  creature  whom  it  should  be  his  object  to  awaken  and  sanc- 
tify. He  believes  many  a  doctrine,  and  reads  many  a  precept  that 
he  dare  not  urge  upon  his  people,  and  sees  approaching  dangers 
against  which  he  dare  not  warn  them.  His  first  concern  is  to  se- 
cure to  himself  the  honors  and  the  emoluments  of  his  office,  even 
should  it  require  the  compromise  of  the  Dit^ine  authority,  and  the 
Divine  glory.  It  grieves  us  to  know  that  he  is  likely  to  perish 
himself,  and  his  deluded  hearers  with  him.  And  moreover,  he 
generates  a  contagion  that  spreads  like  the  plague  through  all  the 
Churches,  and  brings  the  reproach  of  the  whole  apostacyupon  the 
men  who  have  a  less  pliant  conscience,  and  courage  enough  to  do 
their  duty ;  producing  a  fastidiousness  of  taste,  that  prepares 
men  to  resist  the  pressure  of  truth,  till  they  have  reached  per- 
dition. And  it  should  greatly  grieve  us  to  apprehend  that  our 
children,  when  we  are  dead,  may  be  thrown  under  such  a 
ministry  ;  may  imbibe  the  contagion,  may  deny  the  Lord  that 
bought  them,  may  hate  the  doctrines  that  should  sanctify  them, 
and  under  the  influence  of  a  smooth  and  fair  and  popular  reli- 
gion, glide  down  gently  and  smoothly  to  the   place  of  torment. 

3.  In  a  work  so  dignified^  so  responsible,  and  so  perilous,  vt 
ought  to  expect  the  confidence,  the  affection,  and  the  aid,  of  those  foe 
whose  salvation  thi<}  ministry  is  established. 

It  should  secure  us  their  confidence  to  know  that  ous?  ministry 
admits  of  nothing  concealed  and  mysterious,  but  is  open,  undis^. 
guised,  and  ingenuous.     Wc  spread  before  the  people  our  whole 


68  THE    HONEST    ^ND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY. 

commission,  make  oiir  desipn  known,  and  open  to  them  our  whole 
hearts.  We  are  willing  to  earn  the  confidence  we  ask,  and  would 
say  to  the  world,  if  on  any  point  we  betray  your  interest,  believe 
any  doctrine,  or  credit  any  precept  tliat  we  do  not  urge,  or  hide 
the  danger  that  approaches  you,  then  be  distrustful  and  jealous, 
believe  that  we  have  run  before  we  were  sent,  and  that  under  the 
guise  of  the  lamb,  there  rages  the  appetite  of  the  wolf.  If  other- 
wise, we  deserve  your  assurance.  The  office  that  God  instituted, 
that  Christ  personally  honored,  should  hold  a  place  very  sacred, 
and  very  high,  in  your  esteem. 

I  know  there  are  sections  of  Christendom  where  the  vilest  of 
men  who  do  not  deserve  esteem,  serve  at  the  altar.  But  by  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them.  If  they  deal  in  the  hidden  things  of 
dishonesty,  or  walk  in  craftiness,  or  handle  the  word  of  God  de- 
ceitfully, you  are  not  obligated  to  esteem  them  the  ministers  of 
Christ.  And  still  it  sometimes  happens  that  a  false  and  deceitful 
ministry  is  more  popular  than  the  one  that  Christ  approves.  It  aims 
to  commend  itself,  not  to  the  conscience  but  to  the  unsanctificd  heart. 
It  prophecies  smooth  things,  heals  the  wounds  of  the  awakened 
conscience  slightly,  and  assures  the  wicked  that  it  shall  be  well 
with  them.  It  covers  the  pit  over,  and  makes  great  eflbrts  to  lay 
the  cry  of  alarm.  The  men  whom  you  may  trust,  expose  your 
danger,  and  depict  your  depravity,  lead  you  to  search  your  hearts, 
and  try  your  hopes ;  and  they  deserve  and  need  your  confidence. 
They  have  trials  enough,  when  their  people  rally  about  them,  and 
confide  in  their  integrity. 

Let  me  say  to  all  the  lost,  it  is  equally  your  duty  and  your  in- 
terest to  love  the  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  come  to  you 
on  an  errand  the  most  kind,  and  it  may  happen,  and  God  may 
know  it,  that  when  they  disturb  you  the  most,  they  feel  the  most 
tenderly.  When  it  has  seemed  to  you  that  they  must  hate  you, 
they  have  gone  home  and  wept  over  you,  and  interceded  with 
God  in  agonized  prayer  for  your  eternal  life.  So  your  child 
thought  you  cruel,  when  you  tore  the  thorn  from  his  wounded 
hand  ;  but  was  you  not  kind  1 

One  thing  it  is  ea^y  to  know,  he  who  so  presses  home  upon 
your  conscience  the  doctrines  and  duties  of  the  gospel  as  to  of- 
fend you,  is  not  probably  governed  by  selfish  motives.  His  inter- 
est, when  no  reference  is  had  to  the  last  day,  would  lead  him  so  to 
soften  his  message  as  not  to  give  ofTence.  You  would  then  the 
more  generously  fill  his  board.  Still,  when  you  find  him  unbend- 
ingly i'aitljful,  he  deserves  your  esteem  the  more.     Else  you  tempt 


THE    HONEST   AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY.  69 

him  to  betray  your  interest.  When  you  move  him  from  his  in- 
tegrity, he  but  goes  down  with  you  to  the  pit  ;  or  if  God  forgive 
him,  and  he  is  saved,  he  may  first  have  destroyed  you  and  your 
childreiv.  Let  him  then  be  faithful,  and  still  have  your  affection, 
then  his  work  will  be  pleasant,  and  your  danger  diminished. 

An!  the  ministers  of  Christ  will  also  need  your  help.  The  en- 
terprise in  which  they  are  employed  is  the  redemption  of  men 
from  eternal  misery.  And  they  have  all  the  weaknesses  of  other 
men,  and  need  in  a  work  so  awfully  grand,  the  prompt  co-opera- 
tion of  all  who  value  the  soul.  The  seed  they  sow  must  be  wa- 
tered with  prayer,  their  duties  must  be  made  easy  by  your  friend- 
ship, and  their  trials  be  softened  by  your  sympathies.  When  the 
burdens  of  the  ministry  are  thus  lightened,  they  are  still  weighty 
enough  for  the  shoulders  of  an  angel.  Our  constant  exclamation 
is,  "  Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  ?"  Next  to  him  who  in 
the  very  work  itself  has  continued  faithful  unto  death,  the  high 
reward  of  heaven  will  be  his,  who  has  aided  our  efforts,  and  has 
labored  with  us  in  the  gospel.  If  you  could  have  helped  in  build- 
ing the  world,  it  would  have  been  a  service  less  honorable  than 
that  of  helping  to  redeem  it.  It  was  built  of  clay,  but  must  be 
redeemed  with  blood  ;  it  took  its  form  in  a  week,  but  its  redemp- 
tion has  been  progressing  these  six  thousand  years. 

You  may  contribute  to  save  a  soul  from  death,  and  cover  a  mul- 
titude of  sins  ;  may  snatch  a  spirit  that  can  never  die,  from  perdi- 
tion, and  elevate  it  to  a  seat  high  in  bliss  ;  may  substitute  the 
glories  of  heaven  for  the  darkness  and  horrors  of  the  pit ;  and 
changed  the  wailings  of  the  damned  into  anthems  of  Alleluia.  By 
motives  mighty  like  these,  you  are  urged  to  ease  the  burdens  of 
the  ministry,  to  render  the  service  pleasant  and  efficient  by  your 
sympathies,  your  counsels,  and  your  prayers.  It  is  sweet  to  know 
that  we  have  sometimes  the  entire  confidence  as  well  as  the  pray- 
ers of  those  whom  it  is  our  work  to  build  up  in  the  faith  and  pu- 
rity of  the  gospel.  It  cheers  the  solitude  of  many  a  midnight 
hour,  that  we  are  preparing  a  repast  for  the  disciples  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  who,  when  they  have  fed  upon  the  word,  will  pray  for  hun 
who  published  it.  May  every  such  prayer  for  us  be  answered, 
and  then  returned  into  your  own  bosoms,  and  when  the  lips  are 
cold  and  the  tongue  silent  that  address  you,  and  the  sanctuary 
where  you  worship  has  crumbled,  and  other  generations  fill  the 
places  we  occupy,  may  we  be  together  about  the  throne,  to  sing 
and  say,  "  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God,  the  God  of  Israel,  who  only 
doeth  wondrous  things.     And  blessed  be  his  glorious  name  for 


70  THE    HONEST    AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTRY. 

ever  :  and  let  the  whole  earth  be  filled  with  his  glory."    Amen  and 
amen. 

Finally,  it  is  a  crime  of  no  small  magnitude  to  treat  with  ne- 
glect or  contempt  a  ministry  formed  after  the  pattern  of  the  text. 
The  embassy  that  God  commissions  deserves  regard.  "He  that 
receiveth  you,  receiveth  me."  If  ministers  are  faithful,  it  is  not 
at  the  option  of  their  people,  whether  they  shall  receive  or  reject 
their  message,  and  treat  kindly,  or  otherwise,  those  who  hold  the 
high  commission  of  ambassadors  of  Jesus  Christ.  To  their  own 
Master  they  are  accountable  for  every  doctrine  they  advance, 
every  duty  they  urge,  and  the  proper  application  of  every  promise 
they  repeat ;  and  you  too  are  obligated  to  insert  that  doctrine,  if 
true,  into  your  creed,  to  practice  that  duty,  and  apply  legitimately 
that  promise.  If  they  deliver  the  true  gospel,  and  you  reject  it, 
it  proves  to  you  a  savor  of  death  unto  death.  Even  cold  indiffer- 
ence is  criminal  toward  that  ministry  which  has  immediate  con- 
nection with  your  salvation,  and  the  eternal  life  of  your  offspring. 
God  will  punish  those  who  treat  rudely  his  ministers.  We  could 
point  you  to  the  places  where  sterility  and  death  have  reigned 
for  half  a  century,  when  the  hand  had  been  raised  against  one 
whom  God  sent  to  them  with  the  news  of  pardon.  The  law  in 
Israel,  "  Touch  not  mine  anointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm," 
has  been  renewed  in  other  terms  under  the  gospel.  Blessed  God, 
let  no  child  of  mine  ever  hurt  or  offend  thy  ministers. 


SERMON  XLVII. 

THE  WEALTHY  CHRISTIAN  READY  TO  CONTRIBUTE. 

1.    TIMOTHY   Vi.    17 19. 

Charge  iliem  that  are  rich  in  this  world  that  they  be  not  high-minded,  nor  trust  in  uncertain 
riches,  but  in  the  living  God,  who  giveth  us  richly  all  things  to  enjoy  ;  that  they  do  good,  that  they 
be  rich  in  good  works,  ready  to  distribute,  willing  to  communicate  ;  laying  up  in  store  for  them- 
seJves  a  good  foundation  against  the  time  to  come,  that  Ihey  may  lay  hold  on  eternal  life. 

The  Bible  admirably  adapts  its  instructions  to  every  character 
and  condition  in  human  life,  from  the  greatest  monarch  to  the 
meanest  slave.  And  this  fact  is  an  evidence  that  the  Scriptures 
are  from  God.  They  teach  with  an  authority  that  men  uninspired 
would  not  have  been  likely  to  assume.  There  is  no  crouching,  no 
sycophancy,  no  flattery.  Duty  is  taught  to  every  man  in  the  same 
style,  with  the  same  plainness,  and  the  same  assurance.  What 
was  said  of  our  Lord,  that  he  taught  as  one  having  authority,  is 
true  of  the  whole  Bible. 

In  the  text  Paul  is  directing  Timothy  what  he  must  say  to  the 
rich.  They  may  not  be  high-minded.  God  distinguishes  one  riian 
from  another.  "  In  thine  hand  it  is  to  make  great."  They  may 
not  trust  in  riches,  for  they  are  uncertain,  and  may  take  to  them- 
selves wings  and  fly  away.  They  must  trust  alone  in  God,  the 
living  God,  who  giveth  them  richly  all  things  to  enjoy.  God  sufl^ers 
them  to  enjoy  their  wealth,  but  he  also  commands  them  to  commu- 
nicate enjoyment.  They  are  to  be  rich  in  good  works,  ready  to 
distribute,  willing  to  communicate.  They  must  not  even  wait  to 
be  urged  to  this  duty,  but  hold  themselves  in  the  attitude  of  hand- 
ing out  to  others  what  God  has  put  into  their  possession. 

Thus  they  lay  up  in  store  for  themselves  a  good  foundation,  a 
treasure  upon  which  they  may  draw  at  any  future  period  of  want. 
Hence  to  be  liberal  renders  them  ultimately  the  more  wealthy,  and 
what  is  more  important,  enables  them  to  lay  hold  on  eternal  life. 
Thus  their  duty  and  their  interest  are  united,  and  are  equally  plain. 
To  do  good  with  their  wealth  is  an  important  means  of  bringing 
them  to  heaven.  It  is  that  test  of  piety  which  God  will  demand 
of  the  rich.  Hence  said  our  Lord  "  How  hardly  do  they  that  have 
riches  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."     We  cannot  then  be  kind 


72 


THE    WEALTHY    CHRISTIAN 


to  this  large  and  respectable  class  of  men,  unless  we  urge  them  to 
liberality,  as  an  indispensable  test  of  their  hope.  They  have  some 
liberty  of  choice  as  to  the  objects  they  will  the  most  liberally 
patronize,  but  may  not  choose  whether  they  will  or  will  not  be 
ready  to  communicate,  for  if  they  will  not,  they  can  have  no  evi- 
dence that  they  shall  lay  hold  on  eternal  life. 

In  proceeding,  I  shall  present  an  object,  which  seems  to  me  to 
stand  among  the  first,  and  urge  its  claims  upon  a  single  class  of 
the  wealthy.  Let  me  say,  that  It  is  the  duty  of  professors  of  re- 
ligion who  have  wealth  to  consecrate  their  property  to  the  spread  of 
the  gospel. 

Ye  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  your  Savior  has  set  up  a 
church  in  this  world,  has  promised  that  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  her,  and  that  she  shall  one  day  embrace  all  nations  ; 
and  calls  upon  you  to  consecrate  your  property  to  the  diffusion  of 
that  gospel  by  which  he  brings  men  inio  covenant  with  him  and 
makes  them  happy.  Will  you  hear  me,  while  I  offer  five  argu- 
ments to  induce  you  to  obey  him  in  this  reasonable  requisition.  I 
will  enter  upon  the  point  without  detaining  you  a  moment,  and  when 
I  have  done,  you  must  act  as  you  think  proper.     I  assert  in  the 

I.  Place,  That  '*  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulness  thereof^- 
and  hence  that  he  has  a  right  to  make  this  draft  upon  you.  If  I 
fail  in  establishing  this  point,  you  may  lay  down  the  book,  and 
not  read  another  line. 

You  acknowledge  God  as  the  creator  of  all  things.  Here  I 
found  his  claim ;  it  is  prior  to  all  others.  He  who  built  all 
worlds,  and  peopled  them,  and  gave  that  people  all  their  good 
things,  may  make  a  demand  upon  them  to  any  amount  within 
their  power,  with  the  certainty  that  it  cannot  be  protested.  "  His 
are  all  the  beasts  of  the  forest,  and  the  cattle  upon  a  thousand 
hills."  The  same  is  true  of  your  silver,  your  merchandize,  your 
children,  your  servants,  and  all  that  you  have.  If  not,  then  name 
the  good  thing  that  you  can  be  sure  will  be  yours  to-morrow. 
Begin,  if  you  please,  at  the  bottom  of  the  catalogue  of  your  com- 
forts, and  ascend,  through  the  whole  series,  to  the  wife  of  your 
bosom,  your  health,  and  your  life,  and  tell  me  which  of  the  whole 
will  be  yours  to-morrow.  Dare  you  name  nothing  1  Then  whose- 
soever they  are,  they  surely  are  not  yours.  For  he  who  has 
nothing  that  he  can  hold  a  day,  has  nothing  but  what  is  borrowed. 
And  if  the  good  things  you  possess  are  not  yours  they  are  the 
Lord's,  or  whose  are  they  1 


READY    TO   CONTRIBUTE.  73 

And  what  was  the  Lord's  at  the  first,  because  he  made  it,  he 
has  carefully  watched  over  and  preserved.  Not  merely  could  we 
have  had  nothing,  if  God  had  not  made  it,  but  we  could  have  kept 
nothing",  if  God  had  not  preserved  it.  There  is  no  kind  of  inde- 
pendence about  us ;  we  should  have  been  beggars,  if  God  had  not 
cared  for  us.  There  was  an  eye  that  watched  more  narrowly  than 
we  did  or  could,  or  our  wealth  had  long  since  taken  to  itself  wings 
and  had  flown  away.  You  will  own,  my  Christian  friends,  that  it 
was  the  blessed  God  that  watered  your  fields,  and  gave  success 
to  your  commerce,  and  health  to  your  children,  that  guarded  your 
house  from  fire,  and  your  lives  from  danger,  else  you  would  have 
been  pennyless  or  have  perished  years  since.  How  many,  once  as 
rich  as  you,  are  now  poor ;  or  as  healthy  as  you,  are  now  in  the 
grave  ;  had  a  home  as  you  have,  but  it  burned  down ;  had  child- 
ren, as  it  may  be  you  have,  but  the  cold  blast  came  over  them,  and 
they  died.  And  was  it  not  the  kindness  of  God  that  saved  to  you 
what  you  have  1  May  he  not  then  lay  a  tax  upon  your  wealth,  as 
large  as  he  pleases  1 

But  I  am  not  through  the  argument.  God  has  never  alienated 
his  right.  He  has  suffered  Satan  to  be  styled  the  God  of  this 
world,  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air  ;  but  he  owns  nothing. 
The  territories  that  he  promised  the  Lord  Jesus,  if  he  would  fall 
down  and  worship  him,  were  not  a  foot  of  them  his.  And  though 
men  are  permitted  to  hold  under  God  certain  rights,  and  which 
they  sometimes  term  unalienable,  still  God  never  has,  and  never 
will,  renounce  his  right  to  dispose  at  pleasure  of  all  that  we  term 
ours.  In  a  moment,  if  he  pleases,  day  or  night,  he  puts  us  out  of 
our  possessions,  and  the  places  that  knew  us  know  us  no  more 
for  ever.  Hence  we  can  serve  God  only  with  what  is  his  already, 
what  he  has  never  alienated.  "  Of  thine  own  we  give  thee."  Now 
that  which  God  has  put  into  our  hands,  and  the  right  to  which  he 
has  never  relinquished,  we  may  not,  without  the  charge  of  embez- 
zlement, appropriate  otherwise  than  as  he  shall  command  us. 

But  I  have  not  done.  God  has  often  asserted  his  claim  to  what 
we  term  ours.  Once  he  claimed  the  whole  world,  and  by  a  sudden 
and  fearful  dispensation,  displaced  every  tenant  that  had  ever 
occupied  its  soil,  providing  afterward  for  the  single  family  that 
loved  him.  And  none  will  say  that  God  went  without  his  own 
dominions,  to  lay  a  world  waste  that  was  the  property  of  another. 
When  he  burned  the  cities  of  the  plain,  he  but  asserted,  though 
loudly  and  fearfully,  his  right,  and  pressed  home  to  the  bosom 
and  the  conscience  of  every  foe  and  friend  he  had,  his  claim  to  be 

VOL.  II.  10 


74  THE    WEALTHY    CHRISTIAN 

served  and  honored,  in  every  valley  that  he  had  made  fertile,  and 
by  every  people  whom  his  kindness  had  rendered  prosperous. 

In  the  ruin  of  all  the  ancient  monarchies,  God  is  seen  in  the 
attitude  of  asserting  his  claim  to  the  kingdoms  of  men,  as  sections 
of  his  own  empire,  to  which  he  will  send  other  rulers,  and  other 
subjects,  whenever  he  shall  please.  The  desolating  pestilences 
bv  which  he  has  depopulated  towns  and  cities,  and  the  thousand 
nameless  sweeps  of  death  written  in  our  gloomy  history,  had  all 
their  commission  from  heaven,  to  take  back  the  life,  and  health, 
and  comforts  he  had  loaned  to  men.  There  was  one  kingdom  we 
read  of  whose  whole  population  Avent  seventy  years  into  bondage, 
because  their  land  not  been  allowed  to  keep  its  Sabbaths,  and  they 
had  not  paid  their  tithes,  and  emancipated  their  servants  at  the 
appointed  jubilee. 

The  storms  that  have  wrecked  our  merchandize,  and  the  fires 
that  have  devoured  our  cities,  and  all  the  misnamed  casualties  that 
have  ruined  our  fortunes,  have  been  so  many  claims  put  in  by  the 
rightful  owner  of  all  things  to  what  we  had  appropriated  too  ex- 
clusively to  our  own  use.  And  the  occurrences  of  every  day  are 
of  the  same  character. 

I  know  that  this  is  not  the  world  of  retribution,  and  that  "  No 
man  knoweth  either  good  or  evil,  by  any  thing  that  is  done  under 
the  sun ;"  but  let  us  not  deny  that  God  is  known  by  the  judgment 
that  he  executeth.  Will  he'  not,  by  repeated  demands,  keep  men 
in  mind  that  they  cultivate  his  territory,  and  feed  on  his  bounty, 
and  are  happy  under  his  auspices  1  In  thus  asserting  his  claim  to 
be  served  with  the  talents  that  he  loans  his  creatures,  he  teaches 
us  that  one  unchangeable  law  of  his  kingdom  is,  that  he  never 
alienates  what  was  once  his  own. 

I  shall  not  offend  the  good  man  when  I  claim,  that  this  has  been 
a  disastrous^  because  a  disobedient  world.  Perhaps  the  aggregate 
of  property  lost  by  the  various  calamities  that  God  has  sent  upon 
us,  would  have  exactly  met  the  claims  he  made  upon  our  charity. 
Had  that  wealth  been  expended  as  he  directed,  it  would  have  made 
the  world  wise  and  happy.  "  Bring  ye  all  the  tithes  into  the  store- 
house, that  there  may  be  meat  in  mine  house,  and  prove  me  now 
herewith,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  if  I  will  not  open  you  the  win- 
dows of  heaven,  and  pour  you  out  a  blessing,  that  there  shall  not 
be  room  enough  to  receive  it."  "  There  is  that  withholdeth  more 
than  is  meet,  and  it  tendeth  to  poverty." 

It  is  impossible  to  say  how  much  more  prosperous  thi«  world 
might  have  been,  if  men  had  expended  their  wealth  as  God  would 


READY    TO    CONTRIBUTE.  75 

have  them ;  how  much  more  frequently  the  showers  had  fallen,  or 
more  genial  had  been  our  sun,  or  more  gentle  our  breezes,  or  mild 
our  winters,  or  fertile  our  soil,  or  healthful  our  population,  if  we 
had  been  a  better  people,  and  had  served  the  Lord  with  our  sub- 
stance. His  promise  must  have  failed,  or  he  would  have  filled  our 
barns  with  plenty,  and  caused  our  presses  to  burst  out  with  new 
wine. 

As  the  Churches  shall  Avake  to  their  duty,  and  give  the  world 
the  gospel,  I  hope,  and  if  infidelity  scofl^s,  still  I  will  hope,  that 
much  of  the  curse  will  be  removed  from  this  ill-fated  territory, 
and  God  kindly  stay  his  rough  wind,  in  the  day  of  his  east  wind. 
How  many  of  its  plagues  will  be  cured,  its  wars  prevented,  its 
heaths  made  fertile,  and  its  earthquakes  stilled  ;  and  what  the 
amount  of  blessings  bestowed  upon  this  poor  world,  when  it  shall 
become  more  loyal  and  more  benevolent,  none  but  God  can  know. 

I  cannot  believe,  that  when  we  shall  do  as  he  bids  us,  he  will  so 
often  rebuke  us.  When  we  cease  to  waste  his  goods,  he  will  al- 
low us  to  continue  longer  in  the  stewardship  ;  when  we  shall  be 
faithful  in  the  few  things,  he  will  make  us  rulers  over  many  things. 
If  you  will  now  consider  me  as  having  established  the  Divine 
claim,  to  you,  and  all  that  you  have,  I  will  proceed  to  say, 

II.  Christians  who  have  the  means,  should  contribute  to  dissemi- 
nate the  gospel,  because  they  are  heirs  of  God  and  joint  heirs  with 
Jesus  Christ.  They  belong  to  that  kingdom  which  the  gospel 
was  intended  to  establish.  This  fact  is  quite  enough  to  give  the 
cause  1  plead  a  strong  hold  upon  every  pious  heart.  Ye  disciples 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  read  for  once  the  charter  of  your  hopes,  and 
while  it  warms  your  heart,  tell  me  if  you  have  done  half  your 
duty.  "  All  things  are  yours,  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas, 
or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present  or  things  to  come; 
all  are  yours,  and  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's."  Thus  it 
seems  God  and  his  people  have  but  one  interest.  Hence  when  he 
commands  them  to  spread  his  gospel,  he  but  bids  them  to  buy 
themselves  blessings,  bids  them  foster  their  own  interest,  and 
make  their  own  kingdom  happy.  The  Christian  has  by  his  own 
act  identified  his  whole  interest  with  that  of  the  Church  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  If  God  is  honored,  he  is  happy,  and  God  is 
honored  in  the  salvation  of  sinners,  and  in  the  joy  of  his  people. 
Hence  God  can  command  his  people  to  do  nothing  but  that  which 
will  bless  themselves. 

Now  when  did  you  know  a  king's  son  who  would  not  joyfully 


76  THE    WEALTHY    CHRISTIiiN 

expend  his  father's  treasures  to  enlarge,  and  strengthen,  and  beau- 
tify the  kingdom  to  which  he  was  heirl  He  thus  polishes  his  own 
■crown,  and  blesses  his  own  future  reign.  What  believer  has  wot 
*the  same  interest  that  God  has  in  lengthening  the  cords  and 
strengthening  the  stakes  of  Zion  1  He  is  one  of  the  little  flock, 
to  whom  it  is  his  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  the  kingdom.  He 
is  to  be  a  king  and  a  priest  to  God  and  the  Lamb  for  ever.  And 
has  he  still  an  interest  distinct  from  his  heavenly  Father  1  And 
if  not,  he  will  hold  all  he  has  at  the  control  of  God,  and  will  need 
only  to  know  his  duty,  and  will  act  most  cheerfully. 

Ill,  Reason  why  Christians  who  have  the  means,  should  contribute 
to  disseminate  the  gospel  is,  that  they  must  be  merciful,  as  their  Father 
in  heaven  is  merciful.  Over  that  mass  of  misery  which  the  apos- 
tacy  has  produced  their  pious  hearts  have  long  bled  in  sympathy. 
And  their  charity  is  not  of  that  kind  that  it  can  content  itself  with 
saying,  "  Be  ye  warmed,  and  be  ye  filled."  They  have  read,  and 
have  strongly  felt  that  cutting  interrogation  of  the  apostle,  "  Who- 
soever hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth  his  brother  have  need, 
and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from  him,  how  dwelleth 
the  love  of  God  in  him  1"  And  there  is  no  man  so  poor  as  he 
who  has  not  the  bread  of  life.  The  good  man  would  render  all 
men  happy.  His  charity  is  warm  like  that  which  beat  in  the  heart 
of  the  Son  of  God,  and  to  do  his  duty  is  his  meat  and  his  drink 
This  makes  him  like  his  Master,  and  to  this  he  aspires.  He  can- 
not hope  to  rejoice  eternally  in  the  achievements  of  redemption, 
unless  moved  by  the  same  pity  for  the  miserable  that  he  felt,  he  is 
prepared  to  march  up  promptly  and  offer  the  Savior  any  service 
he  requires. 

I  appeal  then,  ye  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  kindness  of 
your  heart,  when  I  ask  you  to  contribute  to  render  the  world  hap- 
py by  your  wealth.  Would  you  not  cure  some  of  the  plagues  that 
sin  has  generated,  and  that  have  so  long  preyed  upon  the  happi- 
ness of  man  1  Would  you  not  quench  the  funeral  pile,  and  save 
the  young,  and  beautiful,  but  infatuated  widow,  that  she  may  nurse 
her  imploring  infant,  and  live  to  rear  it  up  to  life  \  Would  you 
not  free  one  half  the  human  family,  the  female  sex,  from  that 
servitude  for  which  paganism  has  subjected  them  %  Would  you- 
not  snatch  ten  thousand  infants  from  the  altars  of  devils,  where 
they  now  lie,  bound  and  weeping,  waiting  till  you  speak  a  word  of 
mercy  for  them  1  Would  you  not  teach  the  vast  herd  of  idolaters, 
that  there  is  a  kinder,  and   more  merciful  God,  than  those  they 


READY    TO    CONTRIBUTE.  77 

worship  1  Would  you  not  break  in  upon  the  delusions  of  the  false 
prophet,  and  tell  his  misguided  followers  that  you  have  read  of  a 
holier  heaven  than  they  hope  fori  Would  you  not  file  off  the 
chains  that  have  been  fastened  so  many  centuries  upon  poor  af- 
flicted Africa  1  Would  you  not  stay  the  progress  of  war,  and  save 
from  death  the  thousands  that  are  marching,  wan  and  weary, 
toward  the  field  of  death  1  O,  would  you  not,  were  it  possible, 
bring  back  this  base  world  to  its  home  and  its  Maker  1  Have  you 
then  a  purse,  into  which  God  may  not  require  you  to  thrust  your 
hand,  and  take  thence  what  he  has  there  deposited,  with  a  view  to 
make  this  same  world  happy  1 

IV.  Bear  with  me,  ye  followers  of  the  Lamb,  and  I  will  say  again 
that  you  have  covenanted  to  be  workers  together  with  God,  in  achieving 
the  purposes  of  i-edemption,  and  must  now  employ  your  energies  to 
widen  the  boundaries  of  his  holy  empire,  or  forfeit  your  vow.  It  was 
in  you  a  voluntary  compact,  and  you  pledged  in  that  hour  your 
prayers,  your  influence,  your  farm,  your  merchandize,  your  purse, 
your  children,  and  all  that  you  have.  And  heaven  has  recorded 
that  vow,  to  be  brought  up  against  you,  if  it  be  violated,  in  the  day 
of  retribution.  It  was  wholly  at  your  option,  whether  you  would 
enter  into  that  sweeping  covenant,  whether^you  would  swear;  but 
you  have  entered,  you  have  sworn,  and  cannot  go  back.  Youthen 
relinquished  for  ever  your  personal  rights,  and  have  had  ever  since 
but  a  community  of  interest  with  God  and  his  people.  Now  God 
is  employed  in  doing  good,  and  his  people  too,  if  they  are  like 
him.  How  then  will  it  correspond  with  your  oath  to  stand  aloof 
from  the  calls  of  the  Church,  and  disregard  the  command  of  God, 
and  let  the  waste  places  lie  desolate,  and  let  the  heathen  die  in 
their  pollutions,  and  let  the  captives  perish  in  their  chains,  and  let 
almost  the  whole  of  that  territory,  purchased  with  the  blood  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  lie  still  under  the  usurped  dominion  of  the 
prince  of  hell  ;  and  let  a  whole  condemned  world  go  on  to  the 
judgment  with  all  this  blood  upon  it  unsanctified  1  Oh,  how  will 
your  broken  vows  rise  and  haunt  you,  in  that  day  when  the  wealth 
you  have  saved  shall  be  weighed  in  the  balance  with  the  souls  it 
might  have  redeemed. 

Once  more,  and  I  have  done.  As  you  hope  you  have  been  sancti- 
fied through  the  truth,  you  have  some  experience  of  the  value  of  that 
gospel  which  we  urge  you  to  promulgate.  Once  you  were  ignorant 
of  God,  and  were  unhappy.     You  were  in  somewhat  the  same  for- 


78  THE    WEALTHY    CHRISTIAN 

lorn  condition  with  those  whose  cause  I  plead  ;  you  had  forsaken 
God,  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  and  had  hewn  out  to  yourselves 
broken  cisterns,  that  could  hold  no  water.  And  you  remember 
that  dark  period.  Your  mind  traveled  from  object  to  object, 
through  all  the  round  of  created  good,  in  search  of  enjoyment, 
and  "  found  no  end  in  wandering  mazes  lost." 

And  there  is  a  world  of  intelligent  immortal  beings  seen  pant- 
ing and  weary  in  the  same  fruitless  chase.  It  was  the  blessed 
gospel  that  arrested  you,  and  saved  you.  Your  heedless  steps  it 
guided,  your  dark  mind  it  enlightened,  your  erring  conscience  it 
rectified,  your  insensibility  it  aroused,  your  hard  heart  it  softened, 
your  selfishness  it  subdued,  your  pride  it  humbled,  your  wayward 
course  it  changed,  your  covenant  with  death,  and  your  agreement 
with  hell  it  disannulled.  And  here  you  stand,'redeemed,  regener- 
ated ;  your  whole  character  changed,  and  your  final  destiny  alter- 
ed, through  the  influence  of  the  blessed  gospel.  The  curse  is  re- 
moved, you  are  a  child  of  God,  and  an  heir  of  glory,  and  shall  one 
day  see  the  King  in  his  beauty  ;  and  the  gospel  has  done  it.  It  has 
given  you  peace  of  conscience,  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  a  firm  hope 
of  heaven,  and  the  soul  reviving  assurance,  that  all  things  shall 
work  together  for  your  good,  till  you  rise  to  be  where  Christ  is, 
behold  his  beauty,  and  rejoice  in  his  love  for  ever. 

Now  the  question  is,  whether  you  will  contribute  of  your  w^ealth 
to  save  those  who  are  perishing  as  you  so  lately  were.  I  now 
plead  with  you  by  all  that  religion  has  been  worth  to  you,  by  all 
the  joys  it  has  brought  you,  by  all  the  woes  it  has  cured,  by  all 
the  hopes  it  has  raised,  and  by  all  the  transformation  it  has  wrought 
in  your  character  and  your  condition.  For  what  price  would  you 
return  into  the  darkened,  and  dreary,  and  hopeless  condition  in 
which  the  gospel  found  you  1  For  what  would  yoa  barter  away 
all  the  delightful  prospects  that  open  before  you  1  and  calculate 
on  no  more  precious  sacramental  seasons,  no  more  communion  of 
saints,  no  more  delightful  hours  in  your  closet,  nor  Pisgah-views 
of  the  fields  of  promise,  nor  fellowship  with  the  Father,  and  with 
his  Son  Jesus  Christ  1  At  no  price  would  you  part  with  these  \ 
Then  know  how  great  are  the  blessings  which  you  have  it  in  your 
power  to  confer  on  those  who  are  perishing  for  lack  of  vision. 

Do  you  say,  they  can  purchase  the  privileges  of  the  gospel  as 
you  have  1  No  they  will  not.  They  know  not  their  value,  and 
will  die  in  their  sins,  ere  they  will  give  a  shilling  for  the  light  of 
the  gospel.  Not  the  whole  of  India,  if  it  would  save  them  all  from 
hell,  would  support  a  single  missionary. 


KEADY    TO    CONTRIBUTE.  79 

Will  God  send  them  the  gospel  by  miracle  1  No,  he  once  did 
thus  send  it  to  the  lost,  blessed  be  his  name  !  but  he  now  com- 
mands us  to  send  it  to  those  who  are  perishing  for  lack  of  vision. 
We  know  our  duty,  and  God  will  require  it  of  us.  Can  we  meet 
the  heathen  in  the  judgment,  if  we  have  done  nothing  to  redeem 
them  1 

I  will  plead  no  longer,  but  let  me  tell  you  in  parting,  that  when 
you  shall  see  the  world  on  fire,  your  wealth  all  melting  down,  and 
those  who  have  perished  through  your  neglect  calling  upon  the 
"  rocks  and  mountains  to  fall  on  them,  and  hide  them  from  the 
face  of  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of 
the  Lamb,"  and  shall  know  that  you  might  have  been  instrumen- 
tal in  saving  them,  there  will  be  strong  sensations.  If  you  are 
saved  yourselves,  and  this  is  doubtful  if  you  are  not  anxious  to 
save  others,  you  will  wish  a  place  to  weep  over  your  past  neglects, 
before  you  begin  your  everlasting  song  :  and  if  lost  yourself,  then 
indeed  there  will  be  weeping,  and  wailing,  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

May  Jehovah  bless  you,  and  dispose  you  to  do  your  duty  now, 
that  you  may  hereafter  lay  hold  on  eternal  life. 


SERMON    XLVIII. 

THE  ENLIGHTENED  CONSCIENCE  UNBENDING. 

1  CORINTHIANS    VIII.    13. 
If  meat  make  my  lirotfjcr  to  oftVnd,  I  will  eat  no  flesh  while  the  world  standeth. 

In  the  early  establishment  of  Christianity,  it  became  necessary 
to  discriminate  between  those  customs,  both  Jewish  and  heathen, 
that  might  or  that  might  not  be  tolerated  in  the  Church  of  Christ. 
In  things  that  were  in  themselves  perfectly  harmless,  and  harmless 
in  their  bearing^  there  was  no  need  that  believers  dissent  from  the 
world.  In  these  things  it  was  their  duty  to  become  all  things  to 
all  men.  For  instance,  Paul  took  Timothy  and  circumcised  him, 
because  it  was  known  of  all  that  his  father  was  a  Grecian.  Cir- 
cumcision had  ceased  to  be  an  ordinance  in  the  Church  of  God,  but 
no  law  had  been  issued  forbidding  the  amputation  of  the  foreskin. 
Hence  this  might  innocently  be  done,  when  it  would  render  a 
Christian  minister  more  useful;  though  not  as  an  ordinance  of 
God,  obligatory  upon  believers  under  the  new  dispensation. 

There  prevailed  the  heathen  custom  of  offering  the  flesh  of  the 
beasts  they  slew  for  the  market  to  their  idol  gods,  and  if  men 
made  a  feast  the  beasts  were  slain  in  honor  of  their  idols,  and  then 
set  before  their  guests.  To  these  feasts  Christians  would  be  in- 
vited, and  might  go  innocently  ;  provided,  however,  that  the  meat 
on  which  they  were  to  feast  had  not  been  offered  to  idols,  or,  if 
so  offered,  the  fact  had  not  been  made  known  to  them.  Whatso- 
ever had  been  sold  in  the  shambles,  or  market,  they  might  eat, 
asking  no  questions,  whether  it  had  or  had  not  been  offered  to 
idols.  But  if  any  should  inform  them  that  the  meat  set  before 
them  had  been  sacrificed  to  heathen  deities,  thej'-  might  not  eat. 
And  that,  not  because  the  meat  had  been  by  this  ceremony  pol- 
luted, or  injured  ;  for  an  idol  was  nothing  at  all.  This  the  best 
informed  believers  would  early  know;  hence  in  itself  considered 
there  would  be  no  harm  in  their  eating  it.  But  there  were  some 
weak  believers  who  would  not  have  thrown  off'  the  impression 
that  the  heathen  gods,  whom  they  had  before  worshipped,  were  .1 
kind  of  inferior  deities,  that  had  a  real  existence,  and  who  could 


THE    EM.IGHTENED    CONSCIENCE    UNBENDING.  81 

not  eat  flesh  that  had  been  consecrated  to  them,  without  practising 
idolatry.  Now  if  better  informed  believers,  who,  as  to  any  effect 
upon  themselves,  might  harmlessly  feast  upon  these  sacrifices, 
should  do  so,  they  would  lead  their  weaker  brethren  into  sin,  and 
tempt  them  to  apostacy.  Hence  they  must  abstain,  because  of  the 
weak  and  unenlightened  consciences  of  their  brethren.  They 
need  not  seek  to  be  informed  whether  they  were  about  to  feast  on 
a  heathen  sacrifice  or  not,  for  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  ful- 
ness thereof,  and  they  might  partake  of  the  bounties  of  God  with- 
out scruple.  They  need  ask  no  question  for  conscience'  sake, 
conscience  not  their  own,  however,  but  their  brother's.  They 
might  eat  and  not  sin,  but  their  weak  brother  might  be  induced 
by  their  example  to  eat,  and  sin  in  eating. 

Thus  you  have  the  whole  case.  But  some  of  the  more  matured 
believers  might  say,  "  Why  should  I  be  judged  by  another  man's 
conscience  ?  As  1  know  that  an  idol  is  nothing  at  all,  and  that 
meat  offered  to  idols  is  not  polluted,  I  will  eat  and  let  my  weak 
brother  take  care  of  himself."  Here  there  was  occasion  for  the 
exercise  of  one  of  the  most  delicate  principles  of  piety,  and  Paul 
declared  that,  for  himself,  he  would  eat  no  flesh  while  the  world 
stood,  if  his  so  eating  caused  his  brother  to  offend.  I  shall  en- 
deavor to  illustrate  the  conduct  of  the  apostle  on  this  occasion,  and 
vindicate  and  apply  the  principle. 

He  would  abandon  an  alienable  right  in  regard  to  the  good  of 
another;  would  care  deeply  for  the  souls  that  had  been  won  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  by  the  gospel.  He  considered  his  own  conduct  as 
contributing  largely  to  make  up  the  aggregate  of  public  Christian 
sentiment,  which  should  govern  the  infant  Church.  Though  he 
could  ably  defend  his  conduct  in  eating  the  heathen  sacrifices,  yet 
many  might  imitate  him  in  eating,  who  would  never  come  under 
the  influence  of  his  reasoning,  and  so  would  be  injured  bj^^  his 
practice.     It  may  be  well  to  remark, 

L  His  conduct  did  not  imply  that  one  may  make  another  man's 
conscience  his  own  guide  in  duty.  We  are  to  know  for  ourselves 
what  duty  is,  and  when  we  know  are  under  obligation  to  do  if. 
Who  art  thou  that  judgest  another  man's  servant  \  To  his  own 
master  he  standeth  or  falleth.  There  is  no  medium  through  which 
one  man's  conscience  can  approach  and  influence  another,  except 
through  the  medium  of  his  conduct.  If  a  man  have  any  conscience, 
he  must  evince  it  by  his  deeds,  and  thus  give  it  all  the  foreign  in- 
fluence it  can  ever  have.     Himself  it  can  ever  have.     Himself  it 

VOL.  II  11 


82  THE    ENLIGHTENED    v/ONSCIENCE    UNBENDING. 

can  influence  directly.  Every  man's  conscience  was  made  solely 
for  his  own  use,  except  as  it  shall  give  rise  to  a  conversation  and 
deportment  that  may  have  an  influence  upon  others.  This  maxim 
inverted  was  the  grand  error,  and  continues  to  be,  in  the  Catholic 
church.  The  judgment  of  the  Pope,  and  his  emissaries,  is  con- 
sidered paramount  to  the  decisions  of  the  most  enlightened  con- 
science. What  the  head  of  the  church  has  decided  is  truth — 
however  incredible,  must  be  believed ;  and  what  he  has  decreed 
is  duty  must  be  done,  though  at  war  with  Saripture  and  common 
sense.  Hence  there  need  be  light  in  no  other  mind  but  his,  and 
hence  the  Scriptures  are  withheld  from  the  laity.  It  is  of  no  con- 
sequence that  they  have  a  conscience,  if  they  are  not  to  be  guided 
by  it,  but  must  obey  the  dictates  of  some  other  conscience. 

Paul  had  no  idea  of  abetting  a  principle  like  this.  He  would  be 
guided  exclusively  by  his  own  conscience,  in  the  very  practice  he 
proposed  to  adopt.  His  judgment  decided,  and  his  heart  ap- 
proved the  decision,  that  it  would  be  his  duty  to  live  on  lighter 
food  than  that  which  he  might  lawfully  eat,  if  thereby  he  would 
bless  a  weak  brother.  That  brother  had  no  right  to  demand  of 
him  this  sacrifice,  and  urge  the  apostle  to  a  course  of  conduct  not 
required  by  his  own  conscience.  His  obligation  was  to  know  for 
himself  that  the  idol  was  nothing,  and  thus  eat  innocentljr,  as 
Paul  could,  of  the  consecrated  meat.  Still  Paul  must  regard  his 
brother's  good,  and  not  make  his  liberty  a  stumbling-block  to  the 
weak.  Here  his  own  conscience  bound  him  to  a  practice  which 
his  own  conscience  did  not  require  of  him,  but  for  the  ignorance 
and  weakness  of  his  brother.  I  think  this  principle  is  too  obvious 
to  be  mistaken,  while  yet  the  apostle  by  no  means  renounces  the 
right  to  be  governed  solely  by  his  own  conscience. 

II.  We  are  not  to  gather  from  the  conduct  of  the  apostle  in  this 
matter  that  one  man's  conscience  may  abridge  another  man's 
liberty.  One  man's  necessities  may  induce  another  to  give  up 
his  rights,  and  benevolence,  such  as  the  Lord  Jesus  exhibited 
when  he  laid  aside  the  glory  that  he  had  with  the  Father  before 
the  world  was,  may  induce  him  to  do  it  cheerfully  ;  but  man  may 
not  require  it  of  him,  by  any  other  law  than  that  of  love.  If  we 
are  confident  that  another  is  misinformed,  our  duty  is,  if  possible, 
to  enlighten  him ;  but  we  cannot  require  of  him  that  he  disregard 
the  decisions  of  his  own  judgment,  and  permit  himself  to  be 
guided  by  our  opinion  in  opposition  to  his  own  in  a  question  of 
morals.     If  Paul  had  been  the  only  man  in  the  infant  Church  who 


THE    ENLIGHTENED    CONS  ,1ENCE    UXCENDING.  83 

had  light  enough  to  partake  harmlessly  of  a  heathen  sacrifice,  the 
opinion  of  others  that  he  sinned  in  this  matter  would  not  have  ren- 
dered him  guilty.  That  weak  brother,  who  could  not  do  what 
Paul  could  harmlessly,  might  not  require  of  the  apostle  that  he 
confess  himself  guilty  in  acting  according  to  the  superior  light  of 
his  own  mind.  You  may  blame  me  in  a  case  in  which  I  differ 
from  you  in  my  decision,  for  not  reading  and  informing  myself, 
for  not  being  open  to  conviction,  for  not  being  candid  and  ingen- 
uous and  inquisitive;  but  if,  finally,  I  cannot  see  as  you  do,  and 
cannot  think  it  right  to  co-operate  with  you,  however  you  may 
lament  my  error,  you  cannot  require  me  to  act  differently  till  I 
change  my  views.  Thus  Paul  did  not  give  up  his  right  to  decide 
that  meat  sacrificed  to  a  heathen  god  might  not  be  eaten  by  a  Chris- 
tian, harmlessly,  but  he  relinquished  the  privilege  of  eating  it  be- 
cause he  should  thus  harm  his  brother  ;  he  retained  the  right  but 
resigned  the  privilege.  He  was  very  tenacious  of  not  having  it 
understood  that  he  was  restricted  by  his  own  conscience.  "  What 
say  I,  then  1  that  the  idol  is  any  thing,  or  that  which  is  offered  in 
sacrifice  to  idols  is  any  thing  1  No."  As  if  he  had  said,  My  con- 
duct is  not  to  suffer  this  construction.  "  But  I  say,  that  the  things 
which  the  Gentiles  sacrifice,  they  sacrifice  to  devils,  and  not  to 
God  ;  and  I  would  not  that  ye  should  have  fellowship  with  devils." 
"  All  things  are  lawful  to  me,  but  all  things  are  not  expedient." 
Thus  did  his  enlightened  mind  discriminate,  and  his  benevolent 
heart  correspond. 

III.  The  apostle's  conduct  m  this  matter  does  not  go  to  palliate 
ignorance.  It  is  every  man's  first  duty  to  know  what  duty  is,  to 
have  his  conscience  informed,  and  be  prepared  to  act  correctly  in 
all  the  varied  scenes  that  may  suddenly  transpire  before  him.  He 
does  not  refuse  to  eat  the  meat  consecrated  to  devils,  because  he 
lacked  that  knowledge  that  prepared  him  innocently  to  partake  ; 
else  his  ignorance  had  been  sin.  He  abstains  because,  though  all 
things  may  be  lawful,  yet  all  things  edify  not. 

His  brethren,  who  in  their  ignorance,  to  gratify  their  appetites, 
or  to  please  man,  would  not  eat  while  they  had  not  knowledge 
enough  to  see  that  they  might  eat  to  the  glory  of  God,  giving  him 
thanks,  the  very  meat  that  had  been  consecrated  to  devils,  sinned 
through  ignorance  against  their  own  souls.  They  provoked  God 
to  jealousy.  They  neglected  that  injunction,  "Abstain  from  all 
appearance  of  evil,"  and  could  not  have  gone  in  the  spirit  of  that 
prayer,  "  Lead  us  not  into  temptation."     We  read  of  men  having 


84f  THE    EMI.IGHTE.NED    CONSCIENCE    TJNBENDIN    . 

their  foolish  hearts  darkened.  When  men  do  not  like  to  retain 
God  in  their  knowledge,  He  gives  them  up  to  a  reprobate  mind. 
He  reprobates  their  ignorance,  because  resulting  from  choice. 
And  how  large  a  portion  of  the  sins  committed  through  ignorance 
will  prove,  at  last,  to  b"  the  most  enormous  character,  the  last  day 
will  tell.  Paul  considered  himself  as  having  sinned  the  most  out- 
rageously, and  almost  beyond  the  possibility  of  a  pardon,  when  he 
sinned  ignorantly,  in  persecuting  the  saints;  hence  would  be  the 
last  of  men  to  give  ignorance  any  covering. 

IV.  Neither  the  text  nor  context  favors  the  opinion  that  our 
conscience  may  lean  in  its  testimony  to  the  testimony  of  other 
consciences.  The  apostle  did  not,  after  being  convinced  that  he 
might  innocently  partake  of  flesh  that  had  been  devoted  to  an 
idol,  yield  his  convictions  on  this  point,  and  believe  that,  in  itself 
considered,  it  would  be  wrong  so  to  do.  On  this  point  no  amount 
of  human  testimony  would  have  shaken  his  convictions.  In  the 
influence  that  the  act  would  have  on  other  and  weak  minds,  lay  all 
the  danger,  and  all  the  wrong  that  moved  him.  For  himself  he 
cared  not  if  all  the  beasts  of  the  forest,  and  the  cattle  upon  a 
thousand  hills,  had  been  devoted  to  some  spurious  deity.  He 
could  still  feed  upon  them,  and  offer  them  in  sacrifice  to  the  God 
of  heaven,  whose  is  the  earth  and  the  fulness  thereof.  It  is  true, 
that  if  we  find  other  consciences  differing  in  their  testimony  from 
ours,  it  should  put  us  upon  inquiry,  whether  our  own  decision  is 
right,  should  render  us  cautious  and  watchful.  But  when  we  have 
again  and  again  reviewed  the  ground,  and  collected  about  it  all  the 
testimony  we  can  summon,  and  are  still  conscious  that  we  have 
taken  the  position  of  duty,  no  frowns  of  men,  nor  loss  of  interest, 
nor  even  death  itself  can  move  us,  if  we  fear  the  Lord,  to  act  in 
conformity  to  the  vievys  of  others,  in  opposition  to  the  testimony 
of  our  own  conscience. 

Hence  the  reason  why  the  people  of  God  have  so  repeatedly 
been  denominated  obstinate.  Their  false  brethren,  or  the  men  of 
the  world,  have  demanded  of  them  what  they  could  not  conscien- 
tiously do.  A  Roman  governor  writing  to  one  of  the  emperors 
respecting  the  Christians,  after  fully  clearing  them  from  all  the 
charges  that  had  been  brought  against  them,  still  declares  them 
deserving  of  death,  because  of  their  obstinacy.  And  wherein  lay. 
their  obstinacy  1  Simply  in  this.  They  would  not  conform  to 
heathen  customs,  when  such  conformity  implied  connivance  at 
idolatry.     They  would  not  assemble  with   the   worshipers  of  Jupi- 


THE    ENLIGHTENED    CONSCIENCE    UNBENDING.  85 

ter,  would  not  put  up  his  idols  in  their  temple,  while  the  heathen 
would  readily  allow  an  image  of  Jesus  Christ  to  be  erected  in  their 
temples.  Thus  the  war  began  in  the  exclusive  claims  of  an  en 
hghtened  Christian  conscience.  Many  a  martyr  was  offered  life, 
if  he  would  bow  at  the  shrine  of  Diana,  or  kiss  the  image  of  the' 
virgin  mother,  or  carry  the  cross  in  his  bosom  ;  but  his  choice 
was  rather  death.  And  it  cannot  be  considered  surprising  that 
men  who  themselves  have  no  conscience,  can  bend  to  any  doctrine, 
opinion  or  practice,  should  pronounce  this  all  obstinacy. 

In  vindicating  the  principle,  from  which  the  apostle  acted,  I  should 
choose  to  say. 

First,  it  evinced  a  deep  knowledge  of  the  obligations  of  the  Divine 
law.  Paul  did  not  go  beyond  the  demands  of  that  law.  It  allowed 
him  to  eat  meat,  even  the  meat  that  had  been  offered  to  an  idol  ; 
and  still  it  demanded  of  him  that  he  yield  his  rights  to  bless  his 
fellow-men.  What,  did  God  himself  render  the  thing  lawful,  and 
then  make  another  law  depriving  him  of  the  very  pri'vilege  he  had 
granted  \  Intricate  as  this  case  may  look,  it  presents  u°s  one  of 
the  most  common  maxims  of  Christian  deportment.  The  property 
that  God  has  put  into  my  hands,  is  mine  to  use  accordino-  to  the 
discretion  that  God  has  given  me;  and  still  such  a  cry  of  distress 
may  reach  me  as  to  render  it  my  duty  to  devote  it  all  to  the  cure 
of  that  distress.  I  may  have  barely  bread  enough  to  feed  my 
family  ;  but  I  may  hear  that  some  family  is  starving  near  me,  and 
may  be  obligated  to  divide  that  bread,  which  is  my  own,  and  which 
I  may  m  ordinary  circumstances  lawfully  give  to  my  children,  with 
that  starving  family.  I  may  have  with  me  only  the  raimen't  that 
can  warm  me,  and  it  is  my  own,  to  be  used  as  I  wish,  and  still  a 
higher  law  may  require  me  to  divide  that  covering  with  mv 
neighbor.  "^  ^ 

Nor  does  it  essentially  alter  the  case  that  the  misery  is  near  me 
and  moves  my  sympathy.  It  may  be  aHir  off,  and  still  my  perfect 
knowledge  of  its  existence  may  render  this  higher  law  oblio-atory 
Men  need  not  cherish  the  persuasion  that  God  makes  no  other 
claim  upon  their  prosperity  than  that  of  being  honest.  Admit  that 
this  IS  the  first  claim,  the  second  is  like  unto  it,  that  we  be  benevo- 
lent. And  how  came  we  by  the  persuasion  that  the  latter  claim  is 
not  as  bindmg  as  the  former  X  If  one  had  an  estate  of  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  he  owed  one  thousand,  how  could  he  presume  to 
count  that  he  has  forty-nine  thousand  to  bequeath  to  his  children 
till  he  had  inquired  whether  the  law  of  benevolence  did  not  levy 
Its  claim  to  five  or  ten  thousand  dollars  more,  previously  to  his  do- 


■    '^  THE    ENLIGHTENED    CONSCIENCE    UNBENDING. 

ciding  what  portion  he  might  leave  to  his  children  1  Or  may  one 
give  his  whole  estate  to  his  children,  and  leave  them  to  discharge 
all  his  obligations  of  charity  1  If  so,  he  should  have  educated  them 
accordingly,  and  be  sure,  before  his  death,  that  he  has  a  benevolent 
offspring,  who  will  obey  the  law  of  love.  Or  is  the  law  of  benevo- 
lence more  loose  and  undefined  than  the  law  of  righteousness,  a 
hiw  that  we  may  or  may  not  fulfiH  No.  We  are  as  strongly  ob- 
ligated to  be  benevolent,  as  to  be  honest.  Paul  would  obey  the 
statute  requiring  him  to  abstain  from  meat,  if  the  salvation  of  his 
brother  required  it,  as  promptly  and  perfectly,  as  the  statute  of 
honesty,  requiring  him  to  pay  for  the  cloak  or  the  parchment  he 
had  purchased.  Is  it  that  the  law  of  man  has  required  honesty, 
and  fixed  a  penalty  to  its  violation,  while  the  law  of  benevolence 
is  a  law  of  God,  that  men  have  made  the  distinction  they  have  \  I 
answer,  the  law  of  God  binds  the  good  man  firmly  as  any  munici- 
pal statute.  When  he  says,  "  To  do  good  and  to  communicate  for- 
get not,"  the  statute  takes  hold  of  the  conscience  of  the  good  man 
equally  with  that  municipal  statute  requiring  him  to  discharge  the 
note  to  which  he  put  his  hand  and  seal. 

My  life  is  my  own,  and  God  has  made  it  my  duty  to  preserve  it, 
but  the  case  may  happen  when  a  higher  law  may  obligate  me  to 
lay  down  my  life  for  the  good  of  others.  It  may  be  my  duty,  at 
the  greatest  risk,  to  attempt  the  rescue  of  others  from  death  by 
fire  or  flood  ;  or  there  may  come  again  a  period  of  the  Church, 
when  the  good  of  Zion,  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  advance  of 
truth,  may  require  the  sacrifice  of  life.  And  this  higher  law  must 
be  obeyed.  While  the  law  of  God  allows  us  to  provide  for  our 
own  interest,  there  is  in  the  same  statute-book  a  law  to  this  effect, 
"  None  of  us  liveth  to  himself,  and  no  man  dieth  to  himself." 
Now  by  what  argument  shall  one  free  himself  from  obligations  of 
obedience  to  this  statute,  while  yet  he  feels  the  authority  of  that 
other  statute  in  the  same  book,  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal  ]" 

This  making  the  whole  of  religion  to  consist  in  honesty,  (we 
will  not  now  stop  to  inquire  whether  the  sticklers  for  this  religion 
are  more  honest  than  others,)  is  virtually  denying  that  there  is  any 
law  of  benevolence  ;  that  there  is  any  case  when  God  himself  re- 
quires us  to  give  back  a  right  he  has  given  us.  And  yet  this  is 
the  very  law  that  governed  the  apostle.  God  had  given  him  a 
right  in  common  with  others  to  eat  meat,  and  even  the  very  meat 
that  had  been  devoted  to  an  idol,  but  God  commanded  him,  if  his 
brother's  good  required  it,  to  forego  this  right,  and  abandon  the 
very  privilege  that  had  been  given  him  by  charter  and  by  oath. 


THE    ENLIGHTENED    CONSCIENCE    UNBENDING.  87 

We  have  here,  probably,  one  of  the  most  wide  and  glaring  dis- 
tinctions found  among  the  professors  of  godliness.  There  are 
those  who  obey  and  those  who  do  not  obey  this  law  of  benevo- 
lence. And  the  pretence  for  disobedience  is,  that  the  law  is  not 
definite.  God  has  required  me  to  pay  that  I  owe  ;  here  the  debt 
measures  exactly  the  obliga(io?is.  But  the  law  which  reads,  "  Lend, 
hoping  for  nothing  again,"  leaves  it  doubtful  how  much  I  must 
lend.  And  that  law,  "  Give  early  of  thy  substance  to  the  Lord," 
leaves  it  doubtful  how  much  we  must  give.  And  that  law,  "  What- 
soever ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you  do  ye  even  so  to  them," 
leaves  it  doubtful  how  much  we  must  do  from  the  difficulty  of  de- 
ciding how  much  we  would  have  done.  And  still  these  statutes 
require  us  to  lend  and  give  and  c?o,  and  are  as  obligatory  as  the 
laws  of  honesty.  Paul  determined  to  obey  these  higher  requisi- 
tions, and  be  governed  by  the  law  of  benevolence. 


\ 


SERMON   XLIX. 

TtE  ENLIGHTENED  CONSCIENCE  UNBENDING.— No.  II. 

.  ;.  I    CORINTHIANS  vUi.   13. 

If  meat'i^ake  my  brother  to  offend,  I  will  cat  no  flesh  wliile  the  world  stanrieth. 

To  have  discriminating  views  of  the  obligations  of  the  divine 
law,  is  one  of  the  first  prerequisites  to  a  healthful  growing  piety. 
"  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul."  The  re- 
newed heart  must  have  a  relish  for  obedience,  as  far  as  the  rules 
of  obedience  are  known.  And  he  is  the  wisest  believer  who  can 
discern  the  most  accurately  the  bearing  of  the  divine  precepts  upon 
the  common  every-day  concern  of  human  life.  Perhaps  it  would 
not  be  asserting  too  much  to  say  that  in  the  want  of  this  is  seen 
the  grand  cause  why  so  many  professed  believers  are  of  so  little 
use  to  the  Church  of  Christ.  They  have  some  general  knowledge 
of  the  divine  precepts,  but  do  not  take  the  pains  they  should,  or 
have  not  the  means  that  would  be  desirable,  in  learning  to  trace 
the  law  into  its  ramifications  of  bearing  and  of  import.  They 
know  they  should  not  worship  idols,  but  do  not  discern  when 
wealth,  or  honor,  or  pleasure  is  pursued  idolatrously.  They  know 
they  should  not  perform  common  labor  on  the  Sabbath  day,  but 
do  not  discover  exactly  when  their  conversation  or  employment 
has  become  too  worldly  to  comport  with  the  sanctification  of  that 
holy  rest.  They  know  they  should  not  steal,  but  do  not  discern 
when  exactly  their  covetous  practices  or  hard  dealings  have  trans- 
cended the  limits  of  honesty.  They  know  they  should  not  lie, 
but  how  often  can  they  be  seen  hovering  on  the  very  line  of  de- 
marcation between  falsehood  and  truth.  They  may  not  swear 
profanely,  but  when  exacthj  their  hasty  and  passionate  dialect  trans- 
cends the  bounds  of  Christian  soberness,  they  may  not  be  very 
skilful  to  discern.  The  Church  have  embosomed  some  whose 
language  had  all  the  coarseness  and  repulsion  of  profaneness,  ex- 
cept that  the  name  of  God  was  not  used. 

Now  nothing  can  be  more  desirable  than  that  the  Christian  cha- 
racter be  better  purified.  And  this  would  be  the  sure  result  of  a 
belter  knowledge  of  the  spirit  and  extent  of  the  divine  precepts. 


THE   ENLIGHTENED    CONSCIENCE   UNBENDING.  89 

I  proposed,  in  the  preceding  discourse,  to  illustrate  the  conduct 
of  the  apostle  in  the  case  before  us,  and  vindicate  and  apply  the 
principle  on  which  he  acted.  I  remarked,  under  the  first  particu- 
lar, that  he  could  not  mean  that  one  man  should  make  another  man's 
conscience  his  guide  ;  nor  that  one  marCs  conscience  should  abridge 
another  man's  liberty  ;  nor  did  he  mean  to  palliate  ignorance  ;  nor 
that  one  conscience  might  lean  in  its  testimony  to  that  of  other  con- 
sciences. 

In  vindicating  the  principle  on  which  the  apostle  acted,  I  ob- 
served that  it  evinced  a  deep  knowledge  of  the  obligations  of  the  di- 
vine law.     I  now  observe. 

Secondly.  The  apostle  evinced  expandea  benevolence.  He  al- 
lowed his  love  to  the  brethren  to  abridge  his  freedom.  What 
otherwise  was  lawful  he  would  not  do,  if  it  would  injure  them. 
He  acted  on  the  broad  Christian  principle  that  he  was  to  regard  in 
all  his  conduct  the  sanctification  and  salvation  of  his  fellow-men. 
He  must  look  around  him,  before  he  acted,  to  see  on  whom  the 
influence  of  his  example  would  bear,  and  shape  his  actions,  and 
even  abridge  his  liberties  by  this  consideration.  He  carried  with 
him  the  strong  and  controlling  impression  that  he  was  acting  for 
the  Church  and  for  the  world.  His  deeds  were  all  immortal. 
Souls  bound  for  eternity  were  all  around  him  ;  and  if  he  gave 
them  any  impulse,  it  must  be  toward  the  kingdom  of  God.  For 
this  he  must  give  account  at  the  last.  The  law  of  God  that  left 
him  free,  had  a  law  above  it  that  required  him  to  be  benevolent. 
The  license  to  eat  was  modified  by  a  precepf  that  required  him 
to  beware  lest  his  liberty  became  a  stumbling-block  to  them  that' 
were  weak,  and  thus  souls  perish  for  whom  Christ  died. 

And  we  shall  find  this  a  Christian  principle  of  broad  and  mighty 
application.  If  I  have  wealth  and  leisure,  it  may  not  be  a  sin  oc- 
casionally to  let  an  hour  pass  unoccupied;  but  I  may  not  be  idle 
in  the  place  and  in  the  presence  of  those  who  may  be  tempted  by 
my  example  to  idleness,  and  poverty  and  crime.  If  I  have  abun- 
dantly the  means,  it  may  not  be  wrong  to  wear  better  vestments 
than  those  whose  idleness,  or  improvidence,  or  appetites,  have 
clothed  them  in  rags;  but  I  may  not  set  an  example  of  that  extra- 
vagance in  dress  which  will  lead  others  into  dishonest  and  crimi- 
nal adornings.  The  case  may  be  such  that  a  very  strong  necessity 
may  require  me  to  employ  the  hours  of  Sabbath  in  secular  toils ; 
but  care,  such  as  that  with  which  I  would  eye  the  approach  of 
death,  must  be  taken  lest  my  example,  upon  such  as  cannot  know 
my  necessity,  may  exert  a  destructive  influence  against  the  com- 

VOL.  II.  12 


90  THE    ENLIGHTENEE    CONSCIENCE    UNBENDING. 

manclment  of  God.  I  may  see  a  man  so  consummately  mischiev- 
ous and  wicked  as  to  be  justified  in  denominating  him  "  a  child  of 
the  devil,  an  enemy  of  all  righteousness  ;"  but  great  care  must  be 
taken  not  to  deal  in  railing  accusation.  The  case  may  occur  when 
I  may  lawfully  put  to  my  lips  the  cup  that  contains  strong  drink  ; 
but  not  for  a  world  may  I  do  it  in  the  place,  at  the  time,  in  the 
circumstances,  or  in  the  presence  of  men  who  may  by  my  example 
be  drawn  into  the  vortex  of  inebriation.  I  may  be  where  vice  is 
so  bold  and  so  supported,  that  it  cannot  safely  or  profitably  be  re- 
buked ;  but  I  may  not  linger  there  a  moment  beyond  the  limits  of 
a  dire  necessity,  lest  others  be  tempted  to  abide  there  because 
they  love  to.  I  may  be  lawfully  absent  from  the  sanctuary  or  the 
place  of  prayer  :  but  I  may  not,  under  the  price  of  a  soul,  set  the 
example  of  treating  contemptuously  the  ordinances  of  God.  I 
may  see  occasion  to  pour  my  rebuke  upon  the  highest  authorities 
of  my  country  ;  but  I  may  not  refuse  to  submit  to  "  the  powers 
that  be,"  and  that  are  ordained  of  God.  There  may  be  many- 
deeds  which,  in  themselves  considered,  a  good  conscience  would 
approve,  but  which,  in  their  bearing  upon  the  spiritual  interests  of 
men,  conscience  would  denounce  iniquitous.  This  world  is  gov- 
erned by  public  sentiment  ;  which  I  may  not  corrupt  for  my  life. 
The  mass  of  its  population  are  moving  on  to  hell  by  an  impulse  to 
which  [  would  not  add  the  weight  of  a  feather  for  a  world.  A 
very  small  remnant  are  "  straying  upward,"  whose  advance  I  would 
not  retard  for  my  house  full  of  silver  and  gold.  Such  was  the 
spirit  of  benevolence  with  which  the  apostle  declared,  "  I  will  eat 
no  meat  Avhile  the  world  standeth,  if  meat  make  my  brother  to 
offend." 

Thirdly.  There  was  in  the  conduct  of  the  apostle  in  this  mat- 
ter a  display  of  great  Christian  magnanimity.  He  acted  emphati- 
cally under  the  impression,  "  None  of  us  liveth  to  himself."  He 
did  not  care  that  every  act  of  his  went  to  gratify  himself,  and  exalt 
himself,  and  add  some  gloss  to  his  own  reputation.  He  could  not 
agree  to  dissociate  himself  from  the  brotherhood,  and  be  content 
to  guard  himself  from  danger,  and  leave  others  to  spell  out  their 
own  escape  and  manage  their  own  defence.  If  he  could  go  to  a 
heathen  feast  and  eat  harmlessly,  but  his  brother  who  should  go 
with  him  might  receive  damage,  or  the  host  who  invited  them  be 
sustained  in  his  idolatry,  he  would  not  be  there.  Thus  he  headed 
the  infant  church,  as  some  generous-hearted  and  brave  command- 
er, who  would  place  himself  in  the  edge  of  every  battle,  and  be 
among  the  last  to  retreat,  and  die  the  shield  and  champion  of  his 


THE    ENLIGHTENED    CONSCIENCE   UNBENDING.  91 

warriors.  Thus  he  patterned  after  his  Master,  who  laid  down  his 
life  for  the  sheep,  who  was  rich,  but  for  our  sakes  became  poor, 
that  we,  through  his  poverty,  might  be  rich. 

And  the  Christian  spirit  in  all  ages  must  be  the  same.  When 
the  child  of  God  might  hide  himself  from  exposure,  he  may  not, 
if  his  retreat  would  endanger  his  brethren.  If  others  would  de- 
fend the  hated  doctrines,  and  the  self-denying  duties,  and  handle 
the  more  obnoxious  matters  of  discipline,  and  he  could  gain  ap- 
plause by  zViaction,  he  covets  no  such  honor.  Nehemiah  would 
not  hide  himself  in  the  temple,  from  the  threatened  invasion  of  his 
three  inveterate  enemies.  If  others  would  build  the  walls,  and 
defend  the  fortresses,  and  watch  the  enemy,  and  his  own  life  was 
ever  so  precious  to  the  enterprise,  still  he  would  not  lurk  behind 
the  walls,  and  hide  himself  in  the  sanctuary. 

Believers  may  not  take  their  shoulders  from  under  the  burden 
and  leave  their  brethren  to  bear  it.  The  spirit  of  the  gos- 
pel has  none  of  the  world's  time-serving  mixed  with  it.  If  at- 
tacks must  be  made  upon  the  whole  army  of  the  gods,  and  Jupi- 
ter should  himself  array  the  host,  Paul  would  dare  his  thunders 
and  expose  his  weakness,  and  lead  the  Church  of  God  to  the  onset. 
Thus  he  stood  in  the  streets  of  Athens,  and  poured  out  his  con- 
tempt upon  their  priests,  their  shrines,  and  their  sacrifices,  till  we 
wonder  that  he  lived  to  rehearse  the  adventure.  He  knew  the 
commander  he  marched  under,  and  the  goodness  of  the  cause  he 
supported,  and  the  firmness  of  that  decree  that  pledged  him  the 
victory. 

If  exposure  is  demanded  in  the  cause  of  the  Lord,  the  believer 
dare  be  exposed  ;  if  courage  is  wanted,  the  Christian  has  it.  If 
one  has  it  not,  he  may  well  doubt  whether  he  shall  triumph  at  the 
last  with  the  sacramental  host.  If  sin  is  to  be  attacked  in  its 
stronghold,  you  may  send  any  Christian  to  the  onset.  He  has 
commenced  with  sin  a  war  of  extermination,  and  has  no  measure 
to  keep  with  it.  If  the  vice  be  popular,  he  cares  not.  If  interest 
holds  him  back,  he  cares  not.  If  he  must  go  to  the  onset  alone, 
he  dares  to  meet  the  enemy  of  God  and  man  in  his  deadliest  as- 
sault. He  dare  tell  a  whole  community  by  precept  and  example 
that  their  Sabbath-breaking  will  destroy  them  ;  that  their  profane- 
ness  is  cowardly,  and  vulgar,  and  ruinous  ;  that  their  vile  cup, 
when  it  has  enriched  a  few,  and  made  paupers  of  the  multitude, 
and  murdered  wives  and  children,  and  blasted  their  individual  and 
civil  reputation,  will,  in  its  final  results,  damn  eternally  the  whole 
mass  of  its  advocates,  from  the  man  who  gains  an  office  by  its  in- 


92  THE    ENLIGHTENED    CONSCIENCE    0NBENDiNG. 

fluence,  down  to  the  vagabond  who  dies  in  the  ditch  by  the  use  of 
it.  If  sin  is  to  be  attacked,  there  is  not  a  single  coward  among 
all  God's  elect.  And  if  any  hope  they  belong  to  that  number,  who 
dare  not  commence  hostilities  with  sin,  they  had  better  know  soon, 
that  when  the  marriage  supper  is  spread,  and  those  who  were 
ready  have  gone  in  with  the  bridegroom  to  the  marriage,  they 
must  be  in  outer  darkness. 

Fourthly.  The  apostle,  in  the  case  before  us,  displayed  great 
Christian  wisdom  and  prudence.  I  know  that  some  would  suppose 
that  the  very  opposite  of  this  was  true  ;  that  if  he  wished  to  put 
down  idolatry  and  convert  the  heathen,  he  must  go  to  their  feasts, 
and  eat  their  sacrifices,  and  drink  their  oblations,  and  bj'  no  means 
separate  himself  from  their  society,  lest  he  lose  his  influence  over 
them.  He  must  not  push  matters  so  far  for  fear  of  a  reaction  that 
should  frustrate  all  his  hopes.  But  Paul  had  more  wisdom,  and 
knew  that  in  order  to  cure  idolatry  he  and  his  brethren  must  stand 
wholly  aloof  from  it,  and  thus  render  those  ashamed  who  practised 
it.  Had  he  attended  freely  their  feasts,  and  took  all  his  weaker 
brethren  with  him,  he  would  have  done  mischief  in  two  ways. 
The  heathen  would  never  have  abandoned  their  gods,  and  many  of 
the  Christians  would  have  gone  back  to  idolatry  ;  and  thus  the 
whole  work  of  founding  the  Christian  churches  would  have  been 
to  be  done  over.  Exactly  thus  may  we  prescribe  for  the  cure  of 
other  vices.  To  cure  profaneness,  we  must  mingle,  they  say,  with 
the  swearers,  and  smile  at  their  witty  oaths,  and  invite  them  to  our 
houses,  and  employ  them  in  our  service,  and  let  our  children 
hear  them  swear,  and  never  let  them  know  that  we  are  ashamed  of 
them  ;  thus  they  have  the  full  benefit  of  our  chaste  conversation, 
and  we  shall  occasionally  have  opportunity  to  check  them  !  To 
cure  intemperance  we  must  not  be  too  bold  in  our  measures.  We 
must  not  refuse  to  drink  wine  occasionally,  nor  advise  others  to 
quit  it  wholly  ;  must  not  deprecate  the  sale  of  the  poison,  nor  re- 
fuse to  keep  it  in  our  houses,  nor  refuse  to  deal  it  out  to  the  labor- 
er, or  the  visiter,  nor  forbid  our  children  to  take  it,  nor  cry  down 
the  whole  article  as  useless,  a  curse  and  a  nuisance  ;  all  this  will 
drive  the  intemperate  from  us,  so  that  we  can  have  no  influence 
over  them  to  persuade  them  to  quit  it  !  Exactly  the  opposite  ad- 
vice that  Paul  would  give.  By  such  prescriptions  we  might  keep 
this  a  drunken  world  for  ever  ;  might  sow  the  seeds  of  inebriation 
in  the  appetite  of  every  child,  till  one  generation  after  another 
shall  go  down  to  hell  rapidly,  as  a  merciful  God  shall  be  provoked 
to  execute  his  law,  till  at  length  this  lost  world  would  become  de- 


THE    ENLIGHTENED    CONSCIENCE   UNBENDING.  93 

populated  and  no  millennial  period  ever  come.  Ask  Paul  to  pre- 
scribe, and  he  would  say,  "  Touch  not,  taste  not,    handle  not." 

Sin  is  one  of  the  things  with  which  we  can  make  no  covenant. 
It  is  like  fire  ;  we  are  scorched  to  death  while  we  parley  with  it. 
Let  me  illustrate  my  views  by  an  anecdote.  A  neighbor  of  my 
father's,  a  merchant,  is  said  to  have  been  in  his  store  one  evening, 
and  snuffed  his  candle  and  threw  the  ignited  wick  into  a  barrel  of 
powder.  Quick  as  thought  he  thrust  in  his  hand  and  took  it  out, 
but  was  afterward  on  the  point  of  fainting  when  he  reflected  on 
the  danger  he  had  been  in.  This  was  told  me  as  a  fact  in  my 
childhood.  Be  it  doubted,  if  you  choose,  still  it  illustrates  the 
danger  of  dabbling  with  sin.  He  might  not  deliberate,  nor  ask 
counsel,  nor  proceed  moderately,  or  he  and  his  family  had  perished. 
Just  so  with  sin :  to  parley  with  it  is  ruin,  to  be  intimate  with  it  is 
death,  to  abide  under  its  power  is  hell. 

Paul  was  wise  in  keeping  no  measures  with  idolatry.  Whether 
to  destroy  it,  or  save  his  brethren,  or  himself,  or  honor  Christ,  was 
his  highest  object,  his  conduct  was  noble.  To  flee  from  it,  and 
have  no  fellowship  with  it,  even  if  he  must  never  taste  flesh  while 
the  world  stood,  was  the  very  course  of  heavenly  wisdom.  He 
would  thus  render  ashamed  the  worshipers  of  idols,  would  exert 
the  strongest  influence  on  the  infant  Church,  and  best  honor  and 
please  his  Master. 

But  the  question  will  rise,  Are  we  obligated  by  Paul's  example  1 
We  surely  are.  He  was  teaching  the  truth  of  God  under  the  in- 
fallible guidance  of  his  Spirit ;  and  whether  he  advances  that  truth 
in  the  form  of  exhortation,  or  of  logical  argument,  or  expostula- 
tion, or  states  the  resolve  to  which  the  Spirit's  influence  had 
brought  his  own  mind,  I  know  of  no  argument  by  which  we  can 
repel  the  truth  under  one  of  these  forms  of  instruction  rather  than 
another.  I  know  of  no  sentiment  more  dangerous  than  thus  to 
cavil  at  truth  because  taught  by  men  we  hate,  or  in  any  particular 
form  of  language.  We  could  easily  in  this  way  destroy  the  influ- 
ence of  more  than  half  the  Bible. 

And  besides,  there  was  nothing  unreasonable  in  his  resolve. 
There  would  be  no  danger  to  health  or  life  from  the  entire  absti- 
nence from  meat  which  he  proposes.  And  the  object  to  be  gained 
was  worth  the  sacrifice.  And  moreover,  the  gospel  enjoins  self- 
denial  on  every  Christian,  and  promises  heaven  on  the  express 
condition  that  we  deny  ourselves  and  take  up  the  cross  and  follow 
Christ.  It  would  seem  surprising,  then,  if  any  should  doubt  but 
that  the  apostle  was  inspired  to  teach  the  churches  this  high  prin- 


y*  THE    ENLIGHTENED    CONSCIENCE    UNBENDING. 

ciple  of  benevolence,  practised  at  the  expense  of  a  long  protracted 
course  of  self-denial.  It  is  that  redeeming  principle  that  has  saved 
the  Church,  and  will  save  the  world.  Till  Christians  understand 
it,  and  act  upon  it,  they  have  not  learned  the  heavenly  art  of  being 
useful ;  and  if  they  may  even  hope  to  reach  heaven,  must  assuredly 
calculate  to  be  in  that  world  stars  of  the  smallest  magnitude. 

APPLICATION. 

In  applying  further  the  principle  which  actuated  the  apostle  in 
the  case  we  have  reviewed,  I  would  say,  in  the 

1.  Place,  That  honesty  should  lead  every  believer  to  its  adoption. 
We  profess  to  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  to  have  been 
plucked  as  brands  from  the  burning.  And  we  see  those  around  us 
who  are  urging  their  way  to  hell,  and  we  profess  to  love  them.  If 
possible,  they  should  be  stopped  in  their  career.  And  if  there  is 
the  most  forlorn  hope  that  our  example  would  do  any  thing  to 
stop  them,  our  example  should  be  employed.  Else  how  can  we 
be  honest  in  our  profession.  If  idleness  is  destroying  souls,  (and 
probably  few  sins  are  destroying  more,)  how  can  we  be  honest  if 
we  will  not  refrain  from  wasting  precious  hours  with  prayerless 
idlers,  who,  in  the  hordes  that  indolence  collects  around  them, 
are  learning  and  teaching  the  deadliest  principles  and  the  most 
polluting  practices  1  And  if  drunkenness  is  destroying  souls,  how 
can  we  be  honest  in  our  profession  of  benevolence,  if  there  is  any 
amount  of  sacrifice  within  our  power  that  we  will  not  make  to 
dam  up  and  dry  up  this  broad,  and  deep,  and  dark  river  of  death, 
that  is  bearing  down  to  hell  such  a  mighty  congregation. 

2.  Consistency  of  character  should  lead  us  to  adopt  th's  high 
principle  of  Christian  benevolence.  We  profess,  as  Christians, 
that  religion  has  a  value  paramount  to  all  other  interests  combined. 
We  believe  that  interrogatory  assertion,  that  the  whole  world  is 
not  to  be  compared  in  value  to  a  soul.  Hence  any  sacrifice  pos- 
sible should  be  made  to  save  a  soul ;  and  if  the  world  see  us  ready 
to  make  none,  will  God  save  our  character  1 

Believers  are  accustomed  to  pray  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
may  come,  that  men  may  be  converted  and  saved,  and  we  profess 
to  be  asking  for  large  favors.  But  when  we  have  risen  from  our 
knees,  and  it  is  seen  that  we  can  practice  no  self-denial  to  have 
our  prayers  answered,  can  we  hope  to  conceal  our  hypocrisy  1 
Can  we  have  any  consistency  of  character  in  the  world's  estima- 
tion 1  AVill  they  hear  us  pray  1  Will  they  have  any  faith  in  our 
tears'?     No,  none. 


THE    ENLIGHTExNED    CONSCIENCE    UNBENDING.  95 

3.  It  will  be  seen,   of  course,  that  we  cannot  be   useful  in  the 
absence  of  this  high  principle  of  Christian  benevolence.    The  world 
honors  and  believes  the   man  whose   actions  tally  with  his  tears 
and  his  professions.     By  him  they  will  be  influenced.     But  they 
must  not  see  us  trying  to  escape  the  cross.     They  must  not  hear 
us  pray,  and  then  not  see  us  do.     We   may  not  rebuke  their  pro- 
faneness,  nor  their  Sabbath-breaking,  nor  their  gambling,  and  then 
edge  along  as  near  as  may  be  to  the  very  crimes  we  have  rebuked. 
We  may  not  reprobate  their  intemperance,  and  yet  drink  tempe- 
rately with  them  out  of  the  same  cup.     We  do  them  no  good  by 
our  admomtions.     They  will  wield  dexterously  that  motto   "  Phy- 
sician, heal  thyself."     Believers   should  not  forget   that  'though 
they  may  have  learned  more  than  other  men  of  Bible  truth,  yet  In 
native  unsanctified  cunning,  the  men  of  the  world  are  befor'e  them, 
and  will  perceive  a  discrepancy  of  character  even  sooner,  perhaps' 
than  themselves.     "  The  children  of  this  world  are  wiser  in  their 
generation  than  the  children  of  light." 

4.  Without  that  spirit  of  high  Christian  benevolence  which  will 
lead  us  to  make  great  sacrifices  to  bless  our  fellow-men,  our  reli- 
gion  will  not  render  us  happy.  The  child  of  God  is  happy  in 
domg  good.  In  this  God  is  happy.  When  he  had  built  the  world 
and  made  man,  he  surveyed  his  works  with  delight,  because  they 
were  all  good.  When  we  cannot  reflect  that  we  have  done  o-ood 
the  mind  corrodes  itself  and  is  put  to  pain.  *        ' 

^  Finally— We  cannot  be  safe  while  wanting  this  spirit  of  Chris- 
tian benevolence.  Every  soul  that  is  born  of  God  has  it.  It  is 
that  must  prominent  feature  of  the  Divine  image  that  was  lost  in 
the  fall,  and  is  restored  in  regeneration.  "If  one  loves  not  his 
brother  whom  he  has  seen,  how  can  he  Jove  God  whom  he  has  not 
seen."  "Hereby  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples  if 
ye  have  love  to  one  another."  ' 


SERMON  L. 
THE  CONCENTRATED  RESULTS  OF  THE   GOSPEL. 

ISAIAH     LIV.     13. 

And  all  tl)y  children  shall  be  be  taught  of  the  Lord  ;  and  great  shall  be  the  peace  of  thy  children. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  there  is  brought  into  view  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  blessed  effects  of  his  death 
upon  the  beings  whom  he  died  to  redeem.  "  He  shall  see  the 
travail  of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied.^'  Under  that  new  dispensation 
which  his  mission  should  introduce,  the  barren  should  sing  and  the 
desolate  become  fruitful.  The  Church  is  directed  to  "  enlarge  the 
place  of  her  tent,  and  stretch  forth  the  curtains  of  her  habitation," 
Avith  the  assurance  of  a  large  increase  of  her  spiritual  offspring. 
She  shall  branch  forth  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left,  shall  in- 
herit the  Gentiles,  shall  forget  the  shame  of  her  youth,  and  wipe 
off  the  reproach  of  her  widowhood.  Her  Maker,  the  Lord  of 
Hosts,  will  be  her  husband  ;  and  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  the  God 
of  the  whole  earth  her  Redeemer.  "  In  a  little  wrath  God  hid  his 
face  from  her  for  a  moment,  but  will  now,  with  everlasting  kind- 
ness, have  mercy  on  her." 

This  language,  though  highly  figurative,  is  yet  easily  under- 
stood. The  prophet  evidently  looked  forward  to  gospel  times,  and 
sung  of  a  period  then  very  distant,  but  in  its  events  more  glorious 
than  any  that  had  gone  by.  We  can  easily  believe  that  he  had  at 
length  a  distant  but  delightful  view  of  the  present  period,  and 
pleased  his  soul  with  the  very  scenes  that  are  now  transpiring  be- 
fore our  eyes,  when  the  children  of  the  Church  should  become 
wise  and  happy.  "All  thy  children  shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord, 
and  great  shall  be  the  peace  of  thy  children." 

That  God  has  cast  our  lot  in  a  favored  period  of  the  Church, 
there  can  be  no  doubt.  And  the  man  who  is  not  thankful  to  see 
opening  before  himself  and  his  children,  a  prospect  so  rich,  must 
have  a  mind  which  none  will  covet,  and  a  heart  which  is  the  seat 
of  very  sordid  and  groveling  affections.  It  will  be  my  wish,  in 
what  will  now  be  said,  to  awake  your  attention  to  those  objects 


THE  CONCENTRATED  RESULTS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  97 

which  Isaiah  saw,  and  in  which  he  exulted  some  twenty-five   hun- 
dred years  since.     1  would  then  remark, 

I.  The  present  is  a  period  of  great  interest.  This  is  a  truth 
which  must  impress  the  mind  of  every  thinking  man.  In  addition 
to  what  our  fathers  have  told  us,  we  have  learned  by  our  own  ex- 
perience, that  the  world  is  undergoing  a  vast  moral  change.  So 
rapid  are  the  movements  of  Providence  that  we  can  scarcely  keep 
pace  with  its  present  history. 

1.  This  is  an  age  prominent  in  its  benevolent  exertions.  Our  fa- 
thers, with  all  their  piety,  made  almost  no  exertion  to  better  the 
condition  of  a  miserable  world.  They  held  in  their  hands  the 
charter  of  eternal  life,  but  made  ^e\v  inquiries  respecting  the  ex- 
tent to  which  this  blessing  was  enjoyed.  They  often  read  the 
command,  "  Go  ye  unto  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature,"  but  had  no  idea  that  it  was  a  precept  binding 
them  to  disseminate  that  gospel  on  which  they  hung  their  own 
hopes  of  everlasting  life.  Few  of  us  that  have  lived  fifty  years 
have  received  from  our  parents  any  lesson  on  this  subject.  They 
taught  us  those  branches  of  duty  with  which  they  were  acquainted, 
and  put  into  our  hands  that  book  from  which,  through  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  present  generation  has  learned  on^ 
new  lesson  :  that  those  who  have  the  gospel  must  give  it  to  the 
world. 

Hence  the  Christian  world  has  waked  to  the  subject,  and  the  be- 
nevolent heart  has  learned  to  expand,  and  spread  its  sympathies 
over  all  the  miseries  of  the  apostacy.  Nor  have  the  advocates  of 
that  charity  which  regards  only  the  body,  and  terminates  its  toils 
at  the  sepulchre,  any  cause  to  mourn  at  the  ciiange.  Since  the 
Bible  has  been  making  its  way  to  the  habitations  of  poverty,  it  has 
not  diminished  their  wonted  supply  of  bread.  He  that  pities  the 
body  may  have  no  compassion  for  the  soul^  but  he  who  aims  to 
save  the  soul  from  death,  will  feel  for  the  miseries  of  the  body.  The 
charity  of  the  gospel  is  generous  and  impartial. 

Nor  yet  have  the  advocates  of  that  charity  which  begins  at 
home,  the  least  occasion  to  regret  the  exertions  made  in  the  more 
distant  field.  It  was  since  we  cast  our  eye  upon  India,  and  heard 
the  moans  of  Africa,  and  saw  and  wept  over  the  desolation  of 
Palestine,  that  we  have  pitied  strongly  the  wandering  tribes  of  our 
own  America,  and  have  attempted  to  build  up  the  waste  places  in 
our  immediate  vicinity.  We  had  begun  to  translate  the  Scriptures 
into  other  languages,  that  we  might  export  them  to  other  nations, 

VOL.  II.  13 


98  THE    CONCENTRATEr    KEStJLTS    OF    THE    GOSPEL. 

before  we  had  made  the  inquiry  whether  there  were  not  families 
within  ten  minutes'  walk  of  home  who  had  no  Bible.  The  poor 
in  our  land,  and  under  the  eaves  of  our  sanctuaries,  have  reason 
to  bless  the  day  when  the  Christian  world  began  to  pity  the  distant 
heathen. 

I  Slid  the  Christian  world  had  waked,  I  should  have  said  they 
had  befrun  to  wake  :  for  many  who  eat  the  bread  and  drink  the  cup 
of  the  Lord,  are  yet  as  profoundly  asleep  as  though  nothing  new 
had  transpired.  Still  to  some  extent  exertions  are  made  to  carry 
into  effect  the  system  of  the  gospel.  The  Bible  is  going  into 
every  language,  and  missionaries  into  every  country,  and  the  hope 
and  the  promise  is,  that  soon  the  angel  having  the  everlasting  gos- 
pel to  preach  to  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  will  publish  it  to 
every  kindred,  and  nation,  and  tongue,  and  people.  The  rich  are 
casting  of  their  abundance,  and  the  poor  their  mite,  into  the  trea- 
sury of  the  Lord.  More  is  done  now  in  a  single  year  to  lessen  the 
miseries  of  the  apostacy,  than  had  been  done  perhaps  in  ages  pre- 
viously to  the  commencement  of  the  present  era. 

And  no  part  of  Christendom  is  yet  impoverished.  Too  little 
has  been  done  to  be  esteemed  a  sacrifice.  We  have  distributed  to 
the  hungry  nothing  but  the  crumbs  of  our  plenteous  board.  We 
have  done  so  little  that  scarcely  a  conscience  in  Christendom  is 
satisiied ;  so  little  that  if  our  children  should  hereafter  Jearn  the 
amount  of  our  charities,  they  would  burn  the  record  that  they 
might  conceal  our  shame.  Philanthropy  must  yet  ten-fold  its  sacri- 
fices, or  the  present  generation  of  the  heathen  must  almost  all  share 
the  destiny  of  their  unpitied  predecessors.  But  when  all  this  is 
said,  and  said  truly,  the  present  is  comparativdy  an  age  of  charity. 
There  begins  to  be  opened  an  avenue  to  the  conscience  and  the 
heart.  There  is  some  pity  where  there  has  been  none,  there  is 
some  interest  felt  where  recently  there  was  indifference  the  most 
profound. 

2.  The  present  age  is  distinguished  by  a  union  of  interest  and 
effort  among  the  friends  of  the  gospel.  Most  that  was  done  till 
recently  was  the  effect  of  individual  exertion.  The  pious  lieart 
was  always  benevolent.  I  should  offend  my  readers  and  myself,  if 
1  should  deny  to  our  dear  parents  who  are  resting  in  their  graves 
all  the  sympathy  and  the  charity  which  they  entailed  to  their  off- 
spring. But  benevolent  exertions  during  most  of  the  ages  that 
have  gone  by  was  personal  and  insulated.  The  Christian  Church 
had  not  learned  that  union  of  effort  would  augment  her  strength, 
and  multiply  the  resources  of  her  charity.     This  discovery  under 


THE    CONCENTRATED    RESULTS    OF    THE    GOSPEL.  99 

the  aids  of  the  Spirit,  has  produced  those  wondrous  efforts  that 
constitute  the  glory  of  the  present  era.  Our  Bible  and  education 
societies  have  contributed  greatly  to  break  down  those  barriers, 
that  have  so  long  and  so  mischievously  separated  the  followers  of 
the  Lord  Jesus.  How  consoling  to  see  Christians  while  yet  they 
are  firm  in  advocating  what  they  conceive  to  be  the  doctrines  of 
truth,  lay  aside  the  rigidness  of  their  sect,  and  unite  their  efforts 
to  advance  the  interests  of  a  common  cause,  and  the  honors  of  a 
common  Master.  The  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  which  gives 
high  promise  of  cultivating  vast  tracts  of  the  moral  wilderness, 
have  set  the  Christian  world  an  example,  and  are  acting  with  a 
wisdom  and  an  energy  for  which  every  believer  in  the  Ciiurches 
should  give  thanks.  And  that  union  which  begins  to  exist  at  home, 
on  heathen  ground  is  perfect.  There,  we  are  told,  the  communion 
of  each  Church  is  open  to  the  fellowship  of  others.  The  concert 
of  prayer,  if  no  other  existing  fact  could  be  named,  is  an  instance 
of  united  effort  which  distinguishes  the  present  era  from  all  that 
have  gone  by.  Here  is  united  the  whole  Christian  Church  in  offer- 
ing to  the  God  of  grace,  the  same  prayer  and  the  same  interces- 
sions. Dear  brethren,  whether  you  have  or  have  not  been  happy 
on  these  occasions,  you  may  rest  assured  that  no  feature  of  the 
present  epoch  yields  a  higher  hope  that  the  latter-day  glory  is  nigh. 
God  will  hear  the  entreaty  which  is  poured  into  his  ear  at  the  same 
moment,  from  ten  thousand  lips.  He  will  regard  those  petitions, 
which,  as  that  sun  encircles  the  earth,  is  sent  into  the  court  o{ 
heaven  from  every  isle  and  continent  where  dwells  a  heaven-born, 
mind.  The  enemies  of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  his  Church,  had  never 
such  just  occasion  to  fear  the  total  ruin  of  their  cause  as  at  the 
present  moment.  They  have  hitherto  been  able  to  divide,  and 
have  hoped  by  this  means  to  destroy,  but  they  now  see  formed 
against  them  an  impenetrable  phalanx  by  whose  firmness  all  their 
boasted  prowess  is  covered  with  the  utmost  contempt.  Hence  in- 
fidelity has  quit  the  field,  the  Pope  is  palsied  in  his  chair,  Dao-on 
prostrate  before  the  ark,  the  bands  of  Mahomet  are  beginning  to 
be  weakened,  the  Turk  is  beginning  to  perish  by  the  sword,  and 
his  slaves  are  demanding  emancipation. 

3.  The  present  era  is  marked  by  that  general  diffusion  of  know- 
ledge with  which  no  former  age  has  been  blessed.  I  refer  now  to 
that  kind  of  knowledge  which  moves  the  springs  of  action,  a 
knowledge  of  the  present  state  of  the  world.  The  groans  of  the 
wretched  have  been  unheeded,  because  they  have  not  been  heard. 
We  had  no  conception  a  few  years  since,  that  six  or  seven  hun- 


100         THE  CONCENTRATED  RESULTS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

dred  millions  of  our  fellow-creatures  had  never  heard  of  a  Savior. 
We  had  not  explored  the  vast  tracts  of  moral  desolation,  nor  had 
taken  the  gauge  and  dimension  of  human  misery,  depression  and 
contempt.  The  prince  of  this  world  hid  the  extent  of  his  domi- 
nions, and  concealed  the  immensity  of  their  unnumbered  popula- 
tion, in  the  mists  that  issued  from  the  bottomless  pit.  No  en- 
croachments were  made  upon  his  kingdom,  because  the  great 
mass  of  the  Christian  community  had  never  known  the  magnitude 
of  his  empire.  Believers  had  long  prayed,  "Thy  kingdom  come, 
thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  in  heaven,"  but  they  had  never  con- 
ceived to  what  narrow  limits  that  kingdom  was  confined,  and  of 
how  little  a  portion  of  his  promised  inheritance  the  Prince  of 
peace  had  taken  actual  possession. 

But  on  these  subjects  there  is  now  poured  in  upon  the  Christian 
community  a  beam  of  light.  The  vehicles  of  religious  intelligence 
visit  now  the  humblest  cottage,  and  awaken  prayer  and  charity, 
wherever  the  Bible,  through  the  Divine  blessing,  has  produced  a 
heavenly  temper.  We  are  becoming  as  familiar  with  India,  and 
with  the  isles  of  the  Pacific,  as  if  they  had  floated  into  our  vici- 
nity, and  were  in  the  circle  of  our  neighborhood.  The  unread 
servant-boy  peruses  the  records  of  Christian  research,  reads, 
learns  the  list  of  charity,  and  weeps  at  the  funeral  of  the  mission- 
ary. Thus  is  beginning  to  be  touched  every  spring  of  charity, 
thus  is  brought  upon  his  knees  every  believer  that  has  the  smallest 
interest  at  the  court  of  heaven.  And  the  happy  result  is,  that  the 
Christian  world  is  organizing.  There  is  making  a  simultaneous 
attack  upon  the  various  outposts  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness. 
The  widow's  mite  mingles  with  the  charities  of  the  wealthy,  and 
hastens  to  constitute  that  river,  which  carries  fertilization  and  life 
to  the  famishing  population  of  a  world. 

4.  The  present  is  an  era  of  self-devotion.  In  the  ages  past,  if 
any  section  of  the  Church  waked  to  their  duty,  and  would  have 
sent  the  bread  of  life  to  the  hungry,  they  found  it  almost  impossi- 
ble to  procure  an  agent  who  would  go  and  dispense  their  charity. 
He  must  know,  before  he  could  be  employed,  that  he  should  be 
well  supported,  and  might  soon  return  ;  that  he  should  be  under 
the  protection  of  human  law,  and  that  his  life  should  not  be  exposed 
to  the  paw  of  the  lion,  and  the  mouth  of  the  crocodile.  But  God, 
at  the  juncture  when  they  are  needed,  has  raised  up  men  for  the 
service,  whose  minds  are  subjected  to  none  of  these  cowardly 
misgivings.  They  oflfer  themselves,  with  all  their  wealth,  and 
their  children.     They  ask   nothing   but  their  raiment  and  their 


THE  CONCENTRATED  RESULTS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.         101 

bread,  wish  never  to  return,  have  no  anxiety  for  human  protec- 
tion, brave  the  terrors  of  a  trackless  wilderness,  and  can  sleep 
sweetly  in  the  society  of  beasts  and  savages.  If  thirty  families, 
farmers  and  mechanics,  are  needed  for  some  distant  and  hazard- 
ous mission,  one  hundred  are  ready.  It  is  true  that  there  is  a  lack 
of  able  and  well-educated  ministers,  even  yet,  but  this  arises  from 
a  distressing  deficiency  of  the  number^  and  not  from  a  want  of  a 
spirit  of  self-devotion.  Thousands  are  wishing  for  a  share  in  this 
work,  if  they  can  but  be  fitted  for  the  service.  They  will  pledge 
themselves  to  serve  you  in  any  country,  to  traverse  any  desert, 
or  cross  any  sea,  or  surmount  any  dangers,  if  you  will  give  them 
opportunities  for  preparation  ;  and  will  refund  your  charities  if 
their  hearts  faint  at  the  service. 

If  the  occasion  would  permit,  I  could  mention,  as  distinguishing 
the  present  era,  a  number  of  other  particulars  equally  interesting. 
God  prospers,  remarkably,  the  enterprises  of  his  people.  There 
is  a  vast  increase  of  general  knowledge,  and  general  happiness. 
The  bonds  of  slavery  are  breaking.  The  terrors  of  despotism  are 
softening.  The  rights  of  conscience  are  beginning  to  be  better 
understood.  The  art  of  war  is  slowly  coming  into  disuse.  The 
unhappy  begin  to  know  their  condition.  The  ignorant  invite  in- 
struction. The  heathen  are  contributing  to  furnish  themselves 
the  means  of  science,  and  the  bread  of  life.  Infidelity  is  ashamed 
of  its  tenets.  The  governments  of  the  earth  are  beginning  to  aid 
in  raising  the  degraded  and  the  lost  to  happiness  and  heaven. 
And  much  as  the  philanthropist  may  still  find  to  weep  over,  he 
will  descry  in  the  present  movements  of  the  world  many  things 
that  give  promise  of  a  happier  age  at  hand,  when  he  may  wipe 
away  his  tears. 

II.  It  is  important  that  our  children  he  educated  for  tht  period  in 
which  they  are  to  live.  If  the  text  contains  a  promise,  then  it  also 
points  out  a  duty.  "All  thy  children  shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord." 
That  parent  has  forgotten  the  first  dictate  of  affection,  who  does 
not  wish  that  his  children  may  be  wise,  useful,  and  happy,  and 
who  does  not,  by  every  means  in  his  power,  prepare  them  to  act 
well  their  part  in  the  generation  with  which  they  must  mintrle. 

1.  The  rising  generation  should  be  well  instructed  in  science  and 
religion,  that  they  may  act  well  their  part  in  the  age  that  is  open- 
ing. Else  they  can  neither  be  useful,  respectable,  nor  happy. 
The  time  has  beeii,  when  men  could  have  been  respectable,  with- 
out any  knowledge  of  books  or  of  science,  but  those  dark  ages 


102  THE    CONC£.\TR./r,.D    i;i:siLTS    OF    THE    GOSPEL. 

have  gone  by.  The  Bible  and  the  tract,  and  the  vehicle  of  reli- 
gious intelligence,  and  even  the  voluminous  commentary,  are  to 
be  put  into  the  hands  of  every  child  throughout  Christendom. 
And  he  must  be  able  to  read  and  understand  their  contents,  or  he 
will  wish  that  his  father  had  been  a  Turk,  or  a  Hindoo,  and  that 
Ills  mother  had  borne  him  on  the  banks  of  the  Caspian,  or  at  the 
source  of  the  Ganges.  He  will  be  interested  in  the  excursions  of 
the  missionary,  and  must  be  able  to  trace  his  track  on  the  chart, 
and  feel  the  perils  of  his  station.  He  must  lead  in  the  operations 
of  charity,  and  must  know  how  to  minute  and  express  his  thoughts. 
Perhaps  he  must  become  an  ambassador  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
must  have  his  mind  enlarged  in  the  pursuit  of  general  science.  I 
know  you  intend  to  select  his  employ,  he  must  follow  the  track 
you  have  chosen.  No.  He  will  choose  for  himself,  or  rather 
God  will  choose  for  him.  When  you  are  laid  in  your  grave,  he 
will  hear  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  will  be  afraid  to  disobey,  and  will 
enter  and  labor  in  his  vineyard.  He  will  leave  his  plow,  his 
trade,  or  his  clerkship,  and  will  go  at  the  call  of  some  benighted 
community,  to  carry  them  the  Book  of  the  covenant,  and  the  mes- 
sage of  mercy.  And  when  he  shall  wish  to  be  useful,  if  he  find 
himself  ignorant  and  disqualified,  he  will  blame  that  father,  whose 
memory  he  loves  to  revere,  but  who  unkindly  introduced  him  into 
an  enlightened  age,  with  an  uncultivated  mind. 

And  our  daughters,  as  well  as  our  sons,  must  be  equipped  for 
the  peculiar  duties  of  the  age.  The  gospel  has  always  raised  the 
female  sex  to  an  importance  which,  in  lands  not  blessed  with  its 
light,  they  cannot  reach.  It  was  to  be  expected  that  an  age  like 
the  present  would  bring  them  into  a  still  more  impoitant  station. 
And  they  have  shown  their  wisdom  by  their  exertions  to  dissemi- 
nate that  gospel  which  has  rendered  them  free,  enlightened,  happy. 
And  they  will  be,  hereafter,  the  guardians  of  their  sex.  And  they 
must  then  be  equipped  for  the  service  to  which  they  will  assuredly 
be  called,  and  will  be  ashamed  of  their  parents,  if,  when  we  are 
in  our  graves,  they  shall  find  themselves  too  illiterate  to  take  an 
interest,  and  act  a  high  and  holy  part,  in  the  scenes  of  this  illus- 
trious age. 

A  parent  can  hardly  be  more  unkind  to  his  children  than  to  ne- 
•[rlect  their  improvement,  at  a  period  like  the  present.  It  would 
be  cruel  to  leave  them  in  the  midst  of  enlightened  society  with 
minds  suited  to  the  taste  of  a  Turk,  or  a  Tartar.  I  should  be 
afraid,  in  such  a  case,  that  they  would  hate  my  memory,  and 
trample  with  contempt  upon  my  ashes. 


ave 
cen- 


THE    CONCENTRATED    RESULTS    OF    THE    GOSPEL.  103 

2.  We  must  not  merely  attend  to  their  mental  improvement,  we 
must  teach   them  charity.     The    suffrages   of  Christendom  have 
been  taken,  and  it  is  resolved  that  the  miseries  of  the  world  must 
be  relieved.     But  this  relief  will   cost   us   something  more  than 
"  Be  ye  warmed,  and  be   ye  filled."     We  are   pained,  and  so  will 
be  our  children,   if  we  or  they  must  know   of  miseries  which  we 
may  not  alleviate.     While  the  eye   is  pouring  forth  its  tears,  the 
hand  will  distribute  its  bounty.     But  in  this  matter  much  will  de- 
pend on  habit.     We  could  give  you  the  names  of  men  who  h 
prayed,  "  Thy  kingdom  come,"  with  great  fervency  this  half 
tury,  but  have  never,  perhaps,  given  the  price  of  a  Bible  to  aid  the 
increase  of  that  kingdom.     And  now,  when  the  claims  of  the  per- 
ishing millions  are  understood,   every  such  prayer   they  offer  is 
their  disgrace.     Our  children  must  be  taught  to  be  consistent.    If 
they  will  need  mental  improvement,  because  they  are  to  live  in  an 
enlightened   age,  they  will  no   less  need  a  spirit  of  Christian  be- 
nevolence, because  they  are  to  live  in  a  liberal  age.     Hence,  while 
they  are  mere  children  they  should  be  taught  to  cast  their  little 
mites  into  the  treasury  of  the  Lord.     When  they  read  the  pathetic 
story  of  a  burning  widow,  or  an  immolated   babe,  or  a  suffering 
missionary,  tell  them,  while  the  tears  are  flowing,  that  they  must 
send  those   heathen  a  Bible,  and  contribute  to  the  support  of  that 
missionary.     Carry  them  with  you  to  the  monthly  concert,  and 
enrol  their  little   names  upon  the   list   of  charity :  thus  will  you 
prepare  them  to  fill  some   distinguished   station  among  their  en- 
lightened and  liberal  contemporaries.     They  will   be   pillars  and 
polished  stones  in  the  house   of  the  Lord,  and  will  do  you  honor 
when  the  weeds  shall  be  growing  upon  your  sepulchres. 

But  if  our  children  should  carry  into  manhood  the  opposite  cha- 
racter f  should  they  be  ignorant,  and  covetous,  and  infidel ;  should 
they  set  themselves  to  oppose  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  dam  up 
the  streams  of  charity,  and  exhibit  a  dark,  and  contracted,  and 
illiberal  spirit ;  as  sure  as  God  is  true  there  is  nothing  before  them 
but  disappointment  and  shame.  They  will  cover  our  g-raves  with 
reprortch,  and  attach  a  stigma  to  our  name  which  will  adhere  to  it 
till  it  has  perished.  In  the  conduct  of  the  child  the  world  will 
read  the  character  of  the  parents,  and  the  dead  will  be  arraigned 
and  condemned  at  the  tribunal  of  the  living. 

The  means  of  avoiding  this  doom  are  in  our  hands.  Let  us 
make  our  children  acquainted  with  what  God  is  doing,  let  us  put 
into  their  hand  and  pour  into  their  ears  the  weekly  intelligence, 
ana  water  the  advice  with  prayer,  and  then,  whether  we  hVe  to 


104i         THE  CONCE.NTRATED  RESULTS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

see  the  effects  or  not,  our  children  will  rise  up  and  call  us  blessed. 
But, 

3.  They  must  have  the  benefit  of  our  example.  If  we  are  found 
opposing  the  work  of  the  Lord,  are  unwilling  to  be  enlightened, 
and  are  vexed  at  every  solicitation  of  charity,  we  shall  have  child- 
ren in  our  own  likeness,  and  they  will  live  only  to  prolong  our 
disgrace.  But  if  we  march  up  to  the  work  of  the  Lord  ourselves ; 
if  our  children  hear  us  pray  earnestly  for  the  devoted  missionary, 
and  see  us  afflicted  when  we  have  missed  any  opportunity  to  give 
of  our  substance  to  the  Lord,  and  glad  when  opportunity  presents, 
and  generous  in  our  contributions ;  they  will  naturally  imbibe  the 
same  spirit,  and  we  shall  be  honored,  and  God  will  be  served  in 
our  offspring.  If  we  are  afraid  that  a  course  like  this  will  rendt^r 
us  poor,  and  injure  our  children,  it  is  either  because  we  lack  the 
necessary  information,  or  doubt  the  truth  of  the  promise.  It  is 
plainly  written  and  easily  understood,  "  Give  early  of  thy  sub- 
stance to  the  Lord  ;  so  shall  thy  barns  be  filled  with  plenty,  and 
thy  presses  burst  out  with  new  wine."  Now  what  parent  that  be- 
lieves this  text  to  be  the  word  of  the  Lord,  would  not  rather,  far 
rather,  that  his  children  could  have  a  claim  to  this  promise,  than 
any  possible  human  security  for  the  stability  and  the  increase  of 
their  fortune  1  It  affixes  to  every  bond  we  hold  the  seal  of  heaven  ; 
secures  the  timely  shower,  the  prosperous  breeze,  the  wisdom 
necessary  to  plan  our  concerns,  and  the  happy  combination  of  cir- 
cumstances, in  every  hour  when  we  shall  need  the  interference  of 
a  heavenly  friend. 

Let  us,  then,  leave  our  children  a  well-selected  library,  a  mind 
well  cultivated,  a  conscience  awake  to  duty,  a  heart  habituated  to 
feel  the  woes  of  another,  and,  depend  upon  it,  our  estates  will  be 
more  secure,  and  our  offspring  better  provided  for,  than  Jf  we 
should  leave  them  with  the  opposite  habits,  in  the  possession  of  a 
kingdom. 

Do  you  say,  none  but  God  can  do  all  this  for  our  children '? 
True  :  and  all  that  is  required  of  us  is,  that  we  wish  it  done,  that 
we  entreat  him  to  do  it,  that  we  set  the  example  and  use  the 
means  required.  Then  if  our  children  will  not  be  obedient,  we 
can  have  peace  in  death,  and  the  curse  of  being  their  destroyer, 
will  be  removed  from  our  shoulders.  But  we  need  have  no  such 
fears.  The  frequent  and  extensive  revivals  with  which  God  is 
blessing  the  churches,  gives  encouraging  promise,  that  from 
among  the  rising  generation  there  is  to  be  selected  an  army  of 
combatants,  who  are  to  march  under  the  captain  of  their  salvation 


THE  CONCENTRATED  RESULTS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.         105 

to  victory  and  glory.  There  is  more  hope  that  our  children  will 
be  saved,  than  there  has  been,  with  respect  to  any  generation  that 
has  ever  inhabited  the  globe.  If  this  is  the  period  predicted  in 
the  context,  and  there  are  many  indications  that  it  is,  then  the 
promise  is,  "  Thy  children  shall  all  be  taught  of  the  Lord."  Or 
if  this  prediction  is  not  to  receive  its  full  accomplishment,  till  the 
lapse  of  a  century,  still  its  partial  accomplishment  may  be  the 
inheritance  of  our  children. 

III.  The  course  described  will  render  them  happy.  "  Great  shall 
be  the  peace  of  thy  children."  The  evident  indications  of  Provi- 
dence are,  that  there  has  dawned  a  new  era  of  the  Church.  If 
then  we  do  our  duty  to  our  children,  set  the  example  and  enforce 
the  precepts  required,  our  hope  may  be  that  they  will  be  among 
the  ornaments  of  the  risen  and  rising  generation.  They  will  go 
into  life  with  habits  suited  to  the  sphere  in  which  they  are  to  act. 
They  will  associate  with  a  benevolent  community,  will  have  a 
delightful  employ,  will  witness  most  glorious  displays  of  the  wis- 
dom and  power  of  God,  and  will  doubtless  have  those  communica- 
tions of  the  Spirit  which  create  the  best  possible  enjoyments  of  a 
rational  mind.  If  these  hopes  are  not  all  a  dream  what  a  blessing 
it  now  is  to  be  a  parent.  When  our  hearts  have  ached  for  our 
children,  how  such  a  hope  would  have  cheered  us.  If  they  may 
live  and  act  worthily  amid  the  scenes  of  such  a  period,  it  is  quite 
enough.     Amen. 


U 


SERMON    LI. 

THE  BRIDGELESS  GULF. 

LUKE  xvi.  26. 
Ajid,  besides  all  this,  between  us  and  you  tliere  is  a  great  gulf  fixed  :  so  that  they  which  would 
pass  from  hence  to  you,  cannot  ;  neither  can  tliey  pass  to  us,  that  would  come  from  thence. 

The  evident  meanihg  of  the  text  is,  that  the  rich  man  could  ex- 
pect no  relief  from  heaven.  Not  only  could  Lazarus  bring  him 
none,  but  none  could  be  brought.  There  was  no  communication 
between  the  two  worlds.  They  were  forever  separated  by  an  im- 
passable gulf !  and  whether  its  bottomless  caverns  will  ever  be  fill- 
ed, or  a  bridge  erected,  I  shall,  at  present,  leave  those  to  guess, 
who  venture  to  doubt  the  plainest  text,  who  dare  to  die  in  their 
sins,  who  hope  to  reach  heaven  by  the  way  of  hell,  and  who  hang 
that  forlorn  hope  upon  a  straw. 

Two  points  the  parable  settles  :  that  the  wicked  shall  be  pun- 
ished, and  that  they  shall  be  punished  after  death.  The  rich  man 
had  received  his  good  things.  Now  the  beggar  receives  his  ;  and 
the  gulf  that  separates  them  is  impassable.  Christ  did  not  make 
Abraham  say  that  the  rich  man  had  received  part  of  his  good 
things,  and  that  the  gulf  was  not  passable  at  present.  We  seem  to 
be  taught  the  irreparable  loss  of  his  soul.  To  say  the  contrary 
is  to  charge  Christ  with  using  a  figure  calculated  to  deceive,  and 
this  is  to  blasphemously  impeach  his  truth  and  his  goodness. 

Christ  would  not  have  represented  the  rich  man  as  dying,  and  then 
lifting  up  his  eyes  in  torment,  if  sinners  were  not  punished  after 
death.  Nor  would  he  have  represented  him  as  separated  from  the 
smallest  comfort  by  an  impassable  gulf,  if  there  were  any  possible 
relief  for  those  who  once  make  their  bed  in  hell  ! 

And  those  who  deny,  that  there  is  any  hell  but  the  grave,  will 
gain  nothing,  when  they  understand  this  parable.  Be  it  the  grave 
or  not,  the  rich  man  found  it  a  place  of  torment  ;  a  place  where 
sensitive  beings  enjoy  no  comforts,  not  even  a  drop  of  water  to 
cool  their  tongues  ;  a  place  partitioned  off'  from  heaven  by  a  gult 
impassable.  I  will  here  stop  to  quote  one  or  two  texts  more,  to 
show  the  weakness  as  well  as  wickedness  of  supposing  that  the 
Scriptures  recognise  no   other  hell  but  the  grave.     "  The  wicked 


THE    BRIDGELESS   GULF.  107 

shall  be  turned  into  hell,"  and  so  will  the  righteous,  if  this  senti- 
ment be  correct — for  the  righteous,  as  well  as  the  wicked,  com- 
monly find  a  grave.  He  who  does  not  cut  off  a  right  hand  and 
pluck  out  a  right  eye  that  offends,  is  in  danger  of  having  his  whole 
body  cast  into  hell.  But  if  hell  be  only  the  grave,  the  whole  body 
must  be  cast  thither,  whether  the  offending  member  be  amputat- 
ed or  not.  We  read,  that  God  spared  not  the  angels  that  sinned, 
but  cast  them  down  to  hell.  Did  any  one  ever  su.ppose  that  the 
revolting  angels  were  buried  in  the  earth  1  Who  that  has  com- 
mon sense,  and  can  use  it,  ever  thought  of  putting  spirits  in  a 
grave  1  Besides,  we  read  of  the  fire,  the  brimstone,  the  darkness, 
and  the  torments  of  hell  !  Can  this  hell  be  the  grave  ?  My  dear 
hearers,  I  cannot  spend  your  time  to  confute  an  error  so  weak. 
Its  advocates  must  be  left  to  their   own  stupid  infatuation. 

I  shall  proceed  to  inquire,  whether  the  miserable  inhabitants  of 
hell  have  any  hope  of  relief  1 

I.  If  their  endless  punishment  is  not  revealed  in  the  Scriptures, 
it  could  not  have  been.  I  mean  by  this  remark  that  every  varied 
form  of  words  and  expression  is  used  in  the  Scriptures,  to  express 
this  idea,  that  could  be.  After  the  process  of  the  last  judgment, 
the  wicked  are  to  go,  accursed,  into  everlasting  fire  ;  where  they 
are  to  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power.  And  where  the 
smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever  ;  and 
where  they  shall  be  tormented  day  and  night,  for  ever  and  ever. 
The  words  here  used,  are  declared  by  the  most  approved  lexico- 
graphers in  the  Greek  and  Hebrew  languages  to  mean  eternal  ; 
having  no  end.  The  same  words,  and  others  like  them,  are  used 
in  many  texts,  to  express  the  duration  of  the  miseries  of  the 
damned.  And  if  they  do  not  express  endless  duration,  there  are 
no  words  in  those  languages  that  do.  And  can  we  believe  that 
they  who  used  those  languages  had  never  received  the  idea  of  an 
eternity,  or  if  they  had  the  idea,  had  no  words  with  which  to  ex- 
press it  1  If  then,  the  Deity,  in  revealing  his  will,  made  use  of 
the  strongest  words  which  human  language  afforded,  to  express 
endless  punishment,  and  yet  has  failed,  how  could  he  have  revealed 
this  truth  if  it  had  been  truth  l  It  seems  impossible,  unless  he 
had  adopted  some  other  mode  of  making  known  his  will. 

I  cannot  stop,  brethren,  to  hear  the  quibbling  of  those,  who, 
although  they  acknowledge  that  the  fire  will  burn  for  ever,  believe 
that  the  wretched  victims  will  be  released.     It  is  as  frequently 


108  THE    BRlDfiELESS    GULF. 

and  as  strongly  expressed,  that  the  finally  impenitent  shall  be  pun- 
ished for  ever,  as  that  the  fire  shall  for  ever  burn.  And  it  would 
be  impeaching  the  character  of  God  to  suppose,  that  he  would 
feed  the  flames  of  Tophet,  while  there  was  no  employ  for  its  fires. 
"Their  worm  shall  not  die."  "They  shall  be  tormented  day  and 
night,  for  ever  and  ever." 

But  as  to  the  main  d<jctrine— what  would  men  have  had  him 
say,  that  they  might  believe  it  1  If  he  had  said,  "  They  shall  never 
escape  from  hell,  would  they  believe  himi  This  he  has  said. 
The  very  name  of  that  place  of  misery  indicates,  that  there  is  no 
escape.  It  is  called  a  prison.  "Agree  with  thine  adversary 
quickly,  whilst  thou  art  in  the  way  with  him  ;  lest  at  any  time  the 
adversary  deliver  thee  to  the  judge,  and  the  judge  deliver  thee  to 
the  officer,  and  thou  be  cast  into  prison.  Verily  I  say  unto  thee, 
thou  shalt  by  no  means  come  out  thence  till  thou  hast  paid  the 
uttermost  farthing."  And  as  prisons  are  not  usually  left  unbarred 
or  unlocked,  so  we  hear  Christ  say  of  this  prison,  "  I  am  he  that 
liveth,  and  was  dead,  and  behold  I  am  alive  for  evermore  ;  and 
have  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death."  And  to  secure  the  prisoners 
still  more,  they  are  reserved  "  in  chains  under  darkness."  Their 
place  of  abode  is  also  termed  a  pit,  a  furnace,  and  a  lake  of  fire. 
These  terras  imply  a  place  of  fearful  confinement.  The  text  as- 
sures us  that  an  impassable  gulf  confined  the  rich  man  in  this 
perdition. 

Had  he  said,  they  shall  never  reach  heaven,  or  be  in  the  place 
where  his  people  are,  and  where  he  is,  would  this  satisfy  those  who 
who  try  to  doubt  1  This  he  has  said.  "Sinners  shall  not  stand 
in  the  congregation  of  the  righteous."  "  The  unrighteous  shall 
not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."  Christ  said  to  some  of  the 
Jews,  "Ye  shall  die  in  your  sins;  whither  I  go  ye  cannot  come." 
And  in  another  place  he  says,  "  Where  I  am,  thither  ye  cannot 
come."  And  the  text  again  bars  the  finally  impenitent  out  of  hea- 
ven, by  an  impassable  gulf.  "  They  shall  never  see  life,  but  the 
wrath  of  God  abideth  on  them." 

Had  he  said.  Sinners  shall  never  be  forgiven,  would  this  have 
given  satisfaction  \  This  he  has  said.  Said  the  Lord  Jesus,  "  He 
that  shall  blaspheme  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  hath  never  forgive- 
ness, but  is  in  danger  of  eternal  damnation."  And  we  read  again, 
that  to  those  who  sin  wilfully,  after  they  have  received  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth,  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins.  It 
is  predicted,  that  those  who  regard  not  the  works  of  the  Lord,  nor 
the  operations  of  his  hands,  he  shall  destroy,  and  not  build  them 


THE    BRIDGELESS    GULF.  109 

up.  This  does  not  look  like  restoring  sinners  to  happiness  after 
their  sufferings.  This  would  be  building  them  up.  But  God  in- 
tends to  destroy  them  and  not  build  them  up. 

God  threatens  sinners  that  he  will  destroy  them  with  double, 
with  everlasting,  and  perpetual  destruction.  He  intends  to  con- 
sume them  in  his  wrath.  He  intends  to  make  them  a  perpetual 
desolation.  They  are  destined  to  die  the  second  death.  It  is  the 
divine  purpose  that  they  shall  perish  forever.  He  intends  to  blot 
out  their  names  forever.  They  are  to  be  the  subjects  of  endless 
despair.  They  are  to  weep,  and  wail,  and  gnash  their  teeth. 
Such  will  be  their  hopeless  and  miserable  state,  that  they  shall 
seek  death,  but  death  shall  flee  from  them.  These  expressions  all 
look  like  irrecoverable  ruin.  And  if  the  Bible  does  not  teach  this 
doctrine,  it  is  of  all  books  the  most  difficult  to  understand.  In- 
stead of  being  that  simple,  intGlligible  book,  which  I  have  always 
conceived  it  to  be,  I  despair  of  learning  one  truth  from  it.  I 
would  sell  it  for  the  fraction  of  a  cent,  and  abandon  myself  to  the 
fortuitous  light  of  unintelligent  nature. 

II.  If  the  punishments  of  the  wicked  are  not  endless,  we  have 
no  security  in  the  Scriptures,  that  the  saints  will  be  for  ever  happy. 
Each  truth  rests  on  the  same  species  of  evidence.  The  same 
words  are  used,  and  the  same  form  of  expression  in  both  cases. 
God  has  sworn  that  the  one  shall  live  and  the  other  die — the  one 
be  destroyed,  the  other  saved— the  one  redeemed,  the  other  damn- 
ed! The  one  is  to  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment,  the  other 
into  everlasting  life.  The  smoke  of  the  torment  of  the  one  is  to 
ascend  up  for  ever  and  ever,  and,  co-extensively  with  it,  the  other 
is  to  cry,  alleluiah !  Not  a  text  can  be  found  that  more  strongly 
expresses  the  duration  of  heaven's  joys,  than  the  miseries  of  hell. 
The  Christian's  hopes,  then,  of  immortal  blessedness  are  all  a 
dream  !  He  may  yet  learn  the  dreadful  secret,  that  after  tasting 
the  joys  of  heaven,  he  may  suddenly  sink  to  the  bottomless  pit, 
and  some  fiend  of  darkness  rise  and  fill  his  seat.  And  let  Gabriel 
know  that  the  prince  of  darkness,  whom  he  thought  to  be  an  out- 
cast forever,  may  yet  walk  with  him,  arm  in  arm,  through  the 
streets  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  he,  perhaps,  be  sent  to  fill  the 
infernal  throne !  When  men  embrace  such  sentiments,  they  scat- 
ter firebrands,  arrows,  and  death  ;  and  give  them  their  wish,  they 
fill  the  middle  and  the  upper  world  with  tears 

III.  If  sinners  are  to  be  released  from  punishment,  it  must  be  on 


110  THE    BRIDGELESS    GULF. 

the  principle  of  mercy,  or  of  justice.  Let  us  view  botii  sides  of 
this  question. 

Are  they  to  be  saved,  finally,  by  mercy  1  Does  this  idea  com- 
port with  the  sacred  Scriptures  1  According  to  Matthew,  sinners 
are  to  remain  in  the  prison  of  hell  till  they  pay  the  uttermost  far- 
thing. Or,  as  Luke  has  it,  till  they  have  paid  the  very  last  mite. 
They  are  also  to  suffer  as  much  as  their  sins  deserve.  They  are 
to  receive  the  due  reward  of  their  deeds.  They  are  to  drink  of 
the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mix- 
ture, that  is,  without  mixture  of  mercy,  into  the  cup  of  his  indig- 
nation, and  are  to  be  tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone,  in  the 
presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb. 
Now,  if  they  are  to  pay  the  last  mite,  if  there  is  to  be  no  mixture 
of  mercy  in  their  cup,  and  if  they  are  to  suffer  the  due  reward  of 
their  deeds,  how  can  they  be  saved  by  mercy  ?  When  one  has 
paid  the  debt,  is  there  any  mercy  in  giving  him  his  discharge  1 
Does  not  justice  demand  his  release  1  If  the  hour  ever  comes 
when  sinners  shall  deserve  no  further  punishment,  Avill  not  all  hell 
rise  in  one  united  band,  and  press  into  the  court  of  heaven,  to  sue 
for  their  immediate  discharge,  on  the  principle  of  right?  And 
will  a  righteous  God  deny  them  their  suit  ] 

Do  any  feel  disposed  to  take  the  other  side,  and  advocate  the 
sinner's  final  emancipation  on  the  principle  of  justice  1  Then  let 
this  matter  be  fairly  viewed.  The  Scriptures  represent  salvation 
as  the  result  of  mercy.  "  By  grace  we  are  saved,  through  faith, 
and  that  not  of  ourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God."  To  this  point  is 
the  whole  tenor  of  Scripture.  By  the  deeds  of  the  law  shall  no 
flesh  living  be  justified. 

Grace  is  to  be  the  theme  of  the  heavenly  song.  The  redeemed 
of  the  Lord  shall  for  ever  praise  him  who  washed  them  from  their 
sins  in  his  blood.  Now  if  any  should  finally  make  their  way 
into  heaven,  whom  mercy  has  not  redeemed,  they  could  never 
join  the  song,  or  if  they  made  the  attempt,  there  would  be  endless 
discord. 

Besides,  brethren,  when  the  sinner  shall  have  suffered  all  that  he 
deserves,  and  justice  demands  his  release,  it  is  absurd  to  speak  of 
his  being  saved.  From  what  is  he  saved  1  Not  from  deserved 
punishment,  for  no  pimishment  is  deserved.  If  any  can  have  so 
base  an  idea  of  God,  as  that  he  would  continue  to  punish  sinners 
after  they  have  ceased  to  deserve  it,  then  we  might  conceive  of 
their  being  saved  from  the  efliects  of  tyranny.  And  then  indeed  it 
would  be  absurd  to  speak  of  the  sinner's  being  saved  by  the  same 


THE    BRIDGELESS    GULF.  Ill 

hand  that  still  wished  unjustly  to  punish.  If  any  then  imagine 
that  all  will  reach  heaven  at  last  who  have  fallen  under  the  wrath 
of  God,  let  them  not  speak  of  them  as  saved.  There  can  be  no 
salvation  but  for  those  who  are  exposed  to  ruin,  and  when  they 
have  paid  the  uttermost  farthing,  sinners  are  no  longer  exposed. 
And  yet  who  ever  thought  of  any  reaching  heaven  but  those  who 
are  saved  by  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  the  renewing  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Neither  on  the  principle  of  mercy  or  of  justice, 
then,  is  there  any  redemption  from  hell.  And  who  can  conceive 
of  any  third  principle  as  a  ground  of  reprieve  from  the  pangs  of 
the  second  death  X 

IV.  Salvation  is  represented  as  being  through  sanctification  of 
the  Spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth.  But  did  we  ever  read  in  the 
Scriptures,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  should  descend  and  operate  upon 
the  hearts  of  the  damned  1  And  is  hell  a  place  where  men  are 
likely  to  come  to  the  knowledge  or  the  love  of  the  truth  %  Under 
his  tuition,  who  is  a  liar  and  the  father  of  lies,  can  we  hope  for 
such  effects  X  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  those  who  enter  the  place 
of  misery  hoping  one  day  to  make  their  escape,  will  there  learn  one 
truth,  which  they  are  so  unwilling  to  learn  here.  They  will  learn, 
to  their  everlasting  cost,  that  till  then  they  have  always  believed 
a  lie.  They  will  learn  that  he  who  has  the  keys  of  hell  will  never 
unlock  their  prison.  In  this  truth  their  faith  Avill  then  be  strong — 
everlasting. 

V.  The  Scriptures  represent  Christ  as  the  medium  of  salvation 
to  all  who  reach  heaven.  There  is  no  other  name  given  under 
heaven  among  men  whereby  we  can  be  saved.  But  Christ  will 
have  done  his  work  of  salvation  before  any  are  redeemed  from 
hell.  We  are  taught  that  Christ  must  reign  till  he  hath  put  his 
enemies  under  his  feet,  and  that  he  shall  then  deliver  up  the  king- 
dom to  his  Father.  This  passage  is  worthy  of  particular  remark. 
Christ  delivers  up  the  mediatorial  kingdom,  immediately  after  he 
has  sentenced  the  wicked  to  everlasting  fire.  After  this  period 
there  can  be  no  Christ  to  redeem  them.  He  has  then  gathered  in 
his  elect,  and  gone  to  seat  them  at  the  marriage  supper,  and  has 
left  his  enemies  to  contrive  a  way  of  salvation  for  themselves. 
The  finally  impenitent  are  not  given  to  Christ,  for  those  who  are 
given  to  him  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  one  be  able  to 
pluck  them  out  of  his  hands.  But  those  who  go  to  the  place  of 
despair  ^emA,  and  therefore  are  not  given  to  Christ  and  will  not 


112  THE    BRIDGELESS    GULF. 

be  saved  by  him.  Thus  the  argument  chases  the  sinner  down  to 
hell  and  leaves  him  there,  with  no  Savior  to  redeem  him.  How 
he  slnili  be  able,  unassisted,  to  burst  its  bars,  or  quench  its  flames, 
or  quit  its  caverns,  I  leave  those  to  guess  who  dare  run  the  dread- 
ful risk. 

VI.  The  finally  impenitent  die  with  a  wrong  temper  of  heart, 
and  must  undergo  a  thorough  change  of  temper  and  character,  or 
there  could  be  no  salvation  for  them.  Indeed  it  would  not  be  sal- 
vation were  they  taken  from  the  place  of  torment  but  left  in  pos- 
session of  their  evil  hearts  of  unbelief.  Salvation  consists  in  being 
saved  from  the  dominion  of  sin.  Those  who  are  rescued  from 
hell  then,  must  first  be  made  holy.  Now  it  would  seem  very 
strange  that  God  should  send  them  to  that  polluted  world  to  ac- 
quire purity.  Hell,  it  seems,  is  the  school  where  men  are  quali- 
fied for  heaven,  and  he  their  instructor  who  was  too  vile  to  live  in 
heaven  ! 

Can  we  believe  that  the  flames  of  the  pit  will  have  any  tendency 
to  purify  1  Afflictions  in  the  present  world  make  wicked  men  no 
better.  "  Why  should  they  be  stricken  any  more,  they  will  revolt 
more  and  more  1"  The  merest  wretches  that  ever  appeared  in  the 
shape  of  men,  have  been  those  who  had  been  subjected  to  almost 
perpetual  affliction.  And  it  would  seem  as  though  every  stroke 
made  them  more  stubborn.  And  why  should  the  rod  of  divine 
wrath  have  a  different  effect  in  hell  1  That  men  will  for  ever  grow 
worse  in  that  world  I  can  believe,  but  to  believe  that  they  shall 
grow  better,  requires  credulity  which  I  do  not  possess. 

And  the  decree  of  Heaven  with  regard  to  them  is,  "  He  that  is 
unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still,  and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy 
still."  Evil  men  and  seducers  wax  worse  and  worse.  Men  are 
to  perish  in  their  iniquities^  and  there  is  neither  promise  nor  inti- 
mation that  they  shall  ever  be  cleansed.  How  then  can  they  ever 
be  qualified  for  that  world  where  nothing  impure  shall  ever  enter  % 

VII.  We  read  that  wicked  men  are  to  have  their  portion  at  last 
with  devils.  "  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire  prepared 
for  the  devil  and  his  angels."  If  then  they  are  ever  redeemed, 
their  associates  in  misery  will  doubtless  be  redeemed  with  them. 
But  we  read  that  Christ  did  not  take  upon  him  the  nature  of  an- 
gels nor  die  for  them.  Devils  have  no  share  in  his  blood,  nor  any 
hope  of  emancipation  through  his  merits.  This  question  was  long 
since  settled.     They  must  remain  in  their  chains,  and  there  is  full 


THE    BRIDGELESS    GULF.  ll'^ 

reason  to  apprehend  that  men  will  for  ever  have  their  part  with 
them  in  the  lake  that  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone. 

OBJECTIONS. 

I  feel  it  my  duty  to  answer  a  few  of  the  more  specious  objec- 
tions to  this  doctrine.  The  more  common  objection  is  that  drawn 
from  the  mercy  of  God.  The  argument  is,  that  God  is  too  be- 
nevolent loo  inflict  so  sore  a  punishment  on  his  creatures.  It 
seems  tliey  are  afraid  to  admit  the  idea  of  endless  punishment  lest 
the  sentiment  should  tarnish  the  divine  glory.  If  they  are  sin- 
cere in  using  this  argument  they  will  manifest  their  sincerity  by 
holiness  of  life.  They  will  make  it  their  constant  eflx)rt  to  obey, 
and  have  others  obey,  the  divine  law.  And  if  we  do  not  see  this, 
we  shall  doubt  whether  they  oppose  the  doctrine  we  advocate, 
from  respect  to  the  divine  character.  But  be  their  motive  what 
it  m:iy  the  argument  is  flimsy.  It  is  founded  on  this  hypothesis, 
that  it  is  more  important  that  God  should  appear  merciful  than 
that  he  appear  holy,  just,  and  true.  God  is  good,  but  he  will  for- 
ever hate  those  Avho  are  filthy  and  polluted.  God  is  good,  but  he 
is  so  just  that  he  will  render  to  every  one  according  to  his  works. 
God  is  good,  but  he  is  so  true  to  his  word  that  every  threatening 
he  lias  uttered  he  will  execute.  If  then  any  are  saved,  in  their 
salvation  mercy  and  truth  must  meet  together,  righteousness  and 
peace  embrace  each  other.  We  are  incompetent  to  say,  what 
divine  goodness  operating  in  unison  with  the  other  attributes  of 
Deity  may  do,  or  what  it  may  refuse  to  do. 

In  this  world  some  suffer  all  their  life.  From  the  cradle  to  the 
grave  they  hardly  draw  a  breath  in  comfort.  And  these  unhappy 
sufferers  are  not  always  conspicuous  for  wickedness.  We  see  in- 
fants suff^er  from  the  day  of  their  birth  till  thej'^  find  an  early  grave. 
Now  if  all  this  is  consistent  with  the  goodness  of  God,  it  may 
comport  with  the  same  goodness,  to  leave  those,  who  have  spent 
all  their  lives  in  sin,  and  gone  down  to  hell  in  unbelief,  to  suffer 
for  their  sins  for  ever. 

Besides,  brethren,  mercy  must  have  some  channel,  through 
which  it  may  flow  out.  While  God  pardons  rebels  he  must  still 
maintain  the  dignity  of  his  character,  and  must  support  the  honor 
of  his  law  and  government.  And  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only 
medium  of  mercy  from  God  to  sinners.  Him  the  wretched  sinner 
has  rejected  till  he  gives  up  the  mediatorial  kingdom.  Hence 
there  is  no  channel  through  which  mercy  may  be  communicated 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  pit.     God  will  remain  merciful  and  gra- 

TOL.  II.  15 


114  THE    BRIDGELESS    GULF. 

cious  for  ever,  but  his  mercy  will  avail  those  nothing  who  have 
dammed  up  its  streams. 

Much  is  made  of  that  text  where  Christ  is  said  to  have  gone  by 
his  Spirit,  and  preached  to  the  spirits  in  prison.  It  seems  impos- 
sible that  any  one  should  have  gathered  from  this  text  that  Christ 
went  and  preached  to  the  inhabitants  of  hell.  When  Peter  wrote 
they  were  spirits  in  prison  :  but  he  does  not  say  they  were  when 
Christ  preached  to  them  by  his  Spirit.  Indeed,  we  are  assured 
that  this  took  place  at  a  time  when  once  the  long-suffering  God 
waited  in  the  days  of  Noah  while  the  ark  was  preparing.  During 
this  time,  that  holy  man,  inspired  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ  preached 
to  them,  and  they  continued  disobedient.  Now  they  are  spirits  in 
prison. 

For  argument's  sake,  let  us  suppose  that  Christ  did  go  and 
preach  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  pit.  What  would  he  preach"? 
Doubtless  the  same  doctrines  which  he  preached  on  earth..  He 
would  demonstrate  to  them  that  the  fire  should  never  be  quenched, 
nor  the  worm  die.  lie  would  assure  them  that  they  should  by  no 
means  come  out  thence  till  they  had  paid  the  uttermost  farthing. 
He  would  repeat  to  them  the  divine  decree,  "  He  that  is  filthy,  let 
him  be  filthy  still."  Could  he  contradict  what  he  had  preached  to 
them  on  earth  1 

Provided  he  did  preach  to  them  the  same  doctrines  which  he 
delivered  on  earth,  what  would  be  the  effect  1  Would  those  be 
profited  by  his  preaching  there  who  rejected  him  here  1  Would 
those  who  perished  from  Nazareth  be  any  better  pleased  with  di- 
vine sove  eignty  and  election,  than  when  they  led  Christ  to  the 
brow  of  the  hill  to  cast  him  down,  because  he  taught  these  doc- 
trines ]  Would  those  who  condemned  the  Prince  of  life,  those 
who  platted  the  crown,  and  those  who  drove  the  nails,  and  then 
went  down  to  hell — ^^would  they  now  choose  him  as  their  Eedeem- 
er  1  Have  the  flames  of  the  pit  melted  the  hard  heart  1  Shall 
we  wait  till  men  have  known  the  bitterness  of  being  damned,  be- 
fore we  recommend  Christ  to  them  1  Brethren,  have  any  tidings 
reached  you  from  the  pitl  The  preaching  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ — what  effect  does  it  have  in  the  infernal  prison  ?  Does  any 
revolting  spirit  ground  liis  arms  1  Are  any  hosannahs  to  the  Son 
of  David  heard  to  resound  through  the  vaulted  caverns  of  helll 
My  brethren,  falsehood  is  inconsistent  with  all  truth,  and  always 
finds  its  way  beset  with  contradiction  and  absurdity.  Embrace 
the  truth,  and  it  is  consistent  and  can  be  defended  without  an  ef- 
fort. 


THE    BRIDGELESS    GULF.  115 

Much  is  said  about  Christ's  descending  into  hell,  ana  great  ex- 
ertions made  to  prove  that  this  is  the  only  hell.  It  is  true  that  the 
same  word  sometimes  means  the  grave,  and  sometimes  the  place 
of  misery.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  however,  that  words  are  used 
in  the  latter  sense  not  used  in  the  former.  The  grave  is  never 
called  a  lake  of  fire,  or  a  furnace  of  fire,  or  a  place  of  outer 
darkness.  If  we  should  admit,  what  is  not  true,  that  shcol  in  He- 
brew, and  hades  in  Greek,  mean  nothing  more  than  the  grave,  we 
should  lose  nothing.  The  question  is  settled  in  texts  where  these 
words  are  not  used. 

And  what  if  it  could  be  proved  that  Christ  descended  to  the  bot- 
tomless pit  ?  There  was  a  divine  promise  that  his  soul  should  not 
be  left  in  hell.  The  wicked  have  no  such  assurance.  He  is  not 
there  now. 

If  Christ  went  to  hell,  it  is  not  said  that  he  went  to  redeem  its 
prisoners.  We  are  not  told  that  he  bore  home  to  heaven  with  him 
any  of  the  spoils  of  hell.  We  are  not  told  that  he  conveyed  thith- 
er a  drop  of  water  to  cool  the  parching  tongues. 

Much  is  said  of  Christ's  restoring  all  things,  and  destroying  the 
works  of  the  devil.  These  texts,  they  say,  settle  the  point  that 
all  will  be  saved.  It  is  surprising  how  men  will  reason  when  they 
have  first  resolved  how  they  wish  a  thing  to  be.  Supposes  a  re- 
bellion break  out  in  a  human  government,  and  some  brave  general 
be  sent  to  restore  order,  would  this  imply  the  indiscriminate  par- 
don of  all  tlie  rebels  1  If  he  should  imprison  some,  and  execute 
others,  and  intimidate  others,  so  that  the  rebels  grounded  their 
arms  and  forsook  the  standard  of  revolt,  we  should  say  that  order 
is  restored.  So  Christ  must  reign  till  he  has  put  all  his  enemies 
under  his  feet.  Then  he  is  to  give  up  the  mediatorial  kingdom 
to  the  Father.  There  is  nothing  said  about  his  pardoning  them 
all.  Every  knee  shall  bow  to  him ;  but  it  is  not  said  that  every 
enemy  shall  be  brought  to  love  him.  A  conquered  enemy  bows 
to  h's  conqueror.  Every  one  shall  confess  him  to  be  Lord  5  but  it 
is  not  said  that  all  shall  love  him,  and  elect  him  as  theirhovA.  His 
enemies  shall  feel  and  confess  his  power,  and  be  trodden  under 
his  feet.  Puring  his  reign  they  shall  be  cast  into  prison,  and  he, 
as  Mediator,  Avil  go  out  of  office,  leaving  them  in  bonds.  The 
works  of  the  devil  are  destroyed  when  his  plan  is  frustrated,  his 
hopes  cut  off,  his  emissaries  ashamerl,  and  his  kingdom  demolish- 
ed. His  works  are  destroyed  when  he  and  all  his  coadjutors  are 
safely  secured  in  hell.     Then  order  is  restored.  ij;i  the  divine  gov- 


116  THE    BRIDGELESS   GULF. 

ernment,  and  is  the  better  secured  if  some  are  made  the  everlast- 
ing monuments  of  his  wrath. 

Much  is  made  of  those  texts  where  Christ  is  said  to  be  a  pro- 
pitiation for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  where  he  is  called  the 
Savior  of  the  world,  and  where  he  is  said  to  be  the  Savior  of  all 
men.     The  evident  meaning  of  these  texts  is, 

That  Christ  died  for  men  and  not  for  devils ;  for  our  world  in 
distinction  from  any  other. 

That  he  died  for  sinners  of  one  nation  as  well  as  another  ;  for 
Jews  and  Gentiles. 

That  he  made  an  atonement  adequate  to  the  pardon  of  all  men ; 
so  that  whosoever  will  may  come  and  take  the  water  of  life  freely. 
And 

That  he  does  save  from  temporal  evils,  and  from  present  de- 
served wrath  all  men.  Through  the  merits  of  Christ,  the  basest 
of  all  men  are  allowed  a  probation,  are  kept  out  of  hell  while  the 
offers  of  pardon  can  be  made  them,  and  they  have  opportunity  to 
form  their  character  for  eternity. 

In  connection  with  these  texts,  we  find  woes  and  curses  de- 
nounced against  those  who  reject  Christ,  making  it  manifest  that 
finally  all  will  not  be  interested  in  his  blood.  The  context  in  each 
verse  limits  its  meanins;.  For  instance,  in  that  text  where  Christ 
is  said  to  be  the  Savior  of  all  men,  it  is  added,  "  especially  of  those 
that  believe."  Now  if  all,  believers  and  unbelievers,  are  to  reach 
heaven  at  last,  how  could  Christ  be  in  any  special  sense  the  Savior 
of  believers  1  But  if  all  men  are  saved  by  him  from  many  tem- 
poral evils,  and  believers  from  eternal  misery,  the  text  is  plain. 
And  provided  honesty  and  prayer  be  our  commentaries,  ihe  other 
texts  are  equally  plain. 

Instead  of  sinners  being  redeemed  from  hell,  the  dreadful  pro- 
bability is,  that  their  miseries  will  endlessly  increase.  That  they 
will  continue  to  be  disobedient  and  refractory,  there  is  no  room  to 
doubt.  Restraint  being  removed,  they  will  doubtless  feel  and  dis- 
play more  desperate  wickedness  than  in  the  present  life  j  and  we 
cannot  believe  that  God  will  release  them  from  obligations  to  obey 
and  love  him,  because  they  have  become  less  disposed.  The  same 
law  which  is  binding  on  us,  will  be  in  full  ferce  in  hell.  If,  then, 
God  continue  to  mark  iniquity  against  them,  and  to  punish  that 
iniquity,  their  torments  must  for  ever  increase.  And  this  doc- 
trine we  seem  to  be  taught,  when  we  are  told  that  death  and  hell 
shall  be  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.  Instead,  then,  of  their  prospect 
brightening,  it  will  darken.     The  clouds  that  hover  round  the  pit 


THE    BRIDGELESS    GULF.  H7 

will  become  more  and  more  impenetrable  for  ever  ;  as  often  as 
they  raise  their  eyes  their  hopes  will  sink.  This  dreadful  point  1 
will  not  press. 

Now,  my  readers,  if  I  have  advocated  the  truth,  the  saints  will  love 
it;  but  if  I  have  advocated  error,  those  will  love  it  who  know  not 
God  and  who  obey  not  the  gospel.  This  is  always  a  fair  touchstone 
of  truth.  Whatever  sentiments  we  embrace,  if  we  would  recom- 
mend them,  we  must  do  it  by  a  holy  life.  On  whichever  side  of 
this  question  the  truth  lies,  there  will  be  seen  the  most  holiness  ; 
for  truth  has  a  sanctifying  influence,  while  error  has  the  contrary 
effect.  Several  instances  have  happened  within  our  day,  of  men 
murdering  themselves  and  their  families,  having  first  embraced  the 
opinion  that  all  would  be  happy  beyond  the  grave.  1  confess  I 
feel  afraid  of  sentiments  that  can  so  steel  the  heart,  that  a  man 
can  embrue  his  hands  in  the  blood  of  his  children.  And  if  you 
please  to  term  these  extreme  cases,  look  at  those  which  are  com- 
mon. Where  do  you  find  the  most  religion,  the  most  benevolence, 
the  most  humility,  the  most  prayer,  the  tenderest  conscience,  the 
most  meekness,  and  the  most  heavenly-mindedness  1 — in  those 
who  embrace,  or  in  those  who  reject  the  doctrine  of  unlimited 
punishment  1  Where  you  see  these  effects,  there  is  truth  ;  and 
where  there  is  error,  these  efl!ects  are  not  seen. 


SERMON    LII. 

THE   PRESENCE   OF  GOD   THE   GLORY   AND  THE   GUIDE   OF  HIS 
PEOPLE. 

EXODUS    XXXIII.     16. 

For  wherein  shall  it  be  known  hi)w  that  I  and  thy  people  have  found  grace  m  tiiy  sight  1  Is 
it  not  in  tlial  thou  goest  with  us?  So  shall  we  be  separated,  I  and  lliy  people,  from  all  Uie  people 
that  arc  upon  the  face  of  the  earth. 

After  the  disgraceful  affair  of  the  golden  calf,  which  resulted 
in  the  death  of  three  thousand  of  the  men  of  Israel,  Moses  as  usual 
interceded  with  God  that  he  would  forgive  and  would  stjli  love 
his  people.  God  at  length  so  far  regarded  his  intercessions  as  to 
say  that  Moses  might  still  lead  the  people  to  the  land  of  promise, 
and  added,  "Mine  angel  shall  go  before  thee."  But  to  that  man 
of  God  this  was  not  enough,  and  he  still  interceded  that  God  him- 
self, and  not  a  created  angel,  might  guide  him  to  the  promised 
rest.  From  this  last  and  inimitably  eloquent  plea  we  extract  the 
text :  "  For  wherein  shall  it  be  known  how  that  I  and  thy  people 
have  found  grace  in  thy  sight  1  Is  it  not  in  that  thou  goest  with 
us  1  So  shall  we  be  separated,  I  and  thy  people,  from  all  the 
people  that  are  upon  the  face  of  the  earth." 

Finding  himself  so  far  successful,  Moses  was  not  yet  satisfied, 
but  asked  permission  to  see  the  divine  glory.  And  God,  having 
put  him  in  the  cleft  of  the  rock,  and  covered  him  with  his  hand, 
made  all  his  goodness  pass  before  him  and  proclaimed  himself 
gracious  to  whom  he  would  be  gracious,  and  merciful  to  whom  he 
would  show  mercy.  Here  we  might  stay  to  remark,  that  the  glory 
of  God  is  his  goodness.  Moses  asked  the  Lord  to  show  him  his 
glory,  and  God  made  his  goodness  to  pass  before  him.  We  might 
remark  again,  that  goodness  never  appears  so  inviting,  as  when 
exhibited  in  the  shape  of  grace  and  mercy.  And  further,  that  God 
is  a  sovereign  in  these  exhibitions  of  his  glory.  He  will  be 
gracious  to  whom  he  will,  and  will  show  mercy  to  whom  he  will. 
We  might  learn  too  from  the  context,  that  in  our  present  state 
we  cannot  bear  a  full  view  of  the  divine  glory.  When  we  ask 
God  to  show  us  himself,  we  may  well  beseech  him  to  first  cover 
us  with  his  hand,  or  hide  us  u\  the  cleft  of  a  rock.     It  is  more 


THE  PRESENCE  OF  GOD  THE  GLORY  AND  GUIDE  OF  HIS  PEOPLE.       US 

than  probable  that  even  in  heaven  we  shall  not  be  able  to  bear  the 
full  exhibitions  of  his  nature  ;  but  we  shall  see  him  in  the  Lord 
Jesus.  In  him  there  will  be  such  a  softening  down  of  the  burning 
glories  of  the  Godhead  that  we  may  see  him  with  open  face.  But 
we  must  proceed  to  a  particular  consideration  of  the  text. 

How  would  it  be  known  to  the  nations  bordering  upon  Israel 
that  they  had  found  grace  in  the  sight  of  God,  unless  notwith- 
standing their  sins  he  would  still  go  before  them,  and  conduct 
them  to  his  rest.  His  presence  would  render  them  a  distinct  and 
separate  people,  and  would  mark  them  out  as  the  Lord's  peculiar 
inheritance.  In  what  will  now  be  said  the  text  will  be  considered 
as  applicable  not  merely  to  that  people,  but  to  the  people  of  God 
in  every  age.  The  doctrine  which  I  shall  attempt  to  illustrate  is 
this  : 

The  presence  of  God  with  his  people  distinguishes  them  from  the 
world,  and  thus  becomes  the  best  possible  evidence  of  their  adoption. 

By  the  presence  of  God  we  are  to  understand  the  manifestations 
he  makes  to  them  of  his  glory,  the  views  he  gives  them,  and  the 
correspondent  affections  of  heart  which  he  draws  out  toward  him- 
self, his  government,  and  his  kingdom.  The  real  believer  who  has 
known  the  pleasure  of  these  manifestations  will  ask  for  no  further 
explanation.  He  has  adopted  it  as  his  dialect  in  his  closet.  Lord, 
lift  thou  up  the  light  of  thy  countenance  upon  me,  and  has  felt  the 
pleasure  of  saying  afterward,  Thou  hast  put  gladness  into  my 
heart,  more  than  when  their  corn  and  their  wine  increased.  There 
is  no  believer  who  is  not  acquainted  to  a  greater  or  less  extent 
with  the  joy  that  God's  presence  gives,  who  has  not  at  times  been 
alone,  and  found  God  in  the  place  of  retirement,  and  can  under- 
stand us  when  we  speak  of  the  believer  as  being  with  God,  and 
enjoying  God.  On  this  point  then  I  shall  not  enlarge,  but  proceed 
to  show  how  the  presence  of  God  operates  to  distinguish  his 
people  from  the  world,  and  how  this  distinctness  is  evidence  of 
their  adoption. 


peo- 


I.  I  am  to  show  how  the  presence  of  God  Avith  hi 
pie  operates  to  render  them  distinct  from  all  other  people  ;  "  So 
shall  we  be  separated,  I  and  thy  people,  from  all  the  people  that 
are  upon  the  face  of  the  earth."  We  easily  see  how  all  this  was 
literally  fulfilled  in  the  case  of  Israel.  While  God  led  them 
through  the  desert  by  the  pillar  of  cloud  and  of  fire,  and  was  pre- 
sent in  the  tabernacle  and  afterward  in  the  temple  to  respond  to 
all  their  petitions,  to  guide  and  light  them  in  the  way,  to   protect, 


120  THE    PRESENCE    OF    GOD 

and  feed,  and  cheer,  and  comfort  them,  we  easily  see  that  there 
could  be  no  people  like  them,  Egypt  and  Babylon,  and  Syria,  and 
Philistia  had  no  such  guide  and  protector.  No  power,  strong  to 
save,  and  wise  to  guide,  marched  in  the  van  of  their  multitude,  and 
spread  over  them  the  wing  of  his  protection  and  mercy.  All  their 
deliverances  were  by  might  and  by  power ;  but  Israel  had  only  to 
stand  still  and  see  the  salvation  of  the  Lord,  or  when  they  went 
forward  had  only  to  follow  the  cloud  that  moved  before  them. 
Hence  every  foe  was  afraid  of  their  coming,  and  every  danger 
kept  its  distance  till  they  had  reached  the  place  of  their  rest. 
Thus  they  were  rendered  a  separate  people,  and  the  presence  of 
their  Lord  was  a  wall  of  fire  round  about  them,  and  the  glory  in 
the  midst  \of  them.  And  the  Divine  presence  distinguishes  his 
people  now. 

1.  By  elevating  their  views.  It  is  the  glory  of  man  that  he  is 
an  intellectual  being.  He  was  not  born  like  the  brute  to  be  the 
mere  slave  of  appetite,  and  at  best  the  child  of  instinct.  He  can 
perceive,  and  think,  and  reason,  can  contemplate  on  the  character 
and  works  of  his  Maker.  But  the  apostacy  threw  him  down  from 
this  elevation,  and  tended  to  make  him  a  reptile  as  well  as  a  rebel. 
It  rendered  him  disaffected  to  the  objects,  that  it  was  his  elevation 
and  his  honor  to  contemplate.  It  excluded  God  from  all  his 
thoughts,  and  put  in  his  place  the  creature  he  had  made.  Hence 
would  you  survey  every  thought  of  the  ungodly,  and  trace  every 
track  of  the  mind,  through  its  devious  and  degraded  course,  you 
would  find  it  exhausting  all  its  energies  in  low  and  debasing 
thought,  thought  whose  highest  objects  are  material,  and  whose 
highest  flights  do  not  transcend  the  starry  heavens,  and  seldom 
rise  so  high.  It  holds  more  generally  the  tenor  of  its  way,  amid 
the  appetites  and  cares  and  woes  of  a  dying  body.  Hence  its 
paramount  concerns  are,  what  shall  I  eat,  and  what  shall  I  drink, 
and  wherewithal  shall  I  be  clad,  and  how  shall  we  obtain  weal^fe,- 
and  honor,  and  influence  \  How  shall  I  become  the  greatest 
among  my  fellows,  and  the  leader  among  my  equals'?  How 
shall  I  chase  away  want,  and  care,  and  fear  of  death  1  With 
thoughts  like  these,  all  low,  and  sordid,  and  debasing,  the 
mind  labors  till  the  smiles  of  God  invite  it  upward.  Even 
when  partially  sanctified,  if  God  hides  his  face,  and  there  remains 
nothing  to  look  upon,  and  nothing  to  contemplate  but  created  ob- 
jects, the  heavenly  mind  of  necessity  must  become  sordid  and 
terrene.  The  Christian  forsaken,  is  but  a  worm  or  mole,  and  must 
feed  on  dust  and  ashes. 


THE    GLORY   AND   CTJIDE    OF    HIS   PEOPLE.  121 

But  the  presence  of  God  elevates  the  mind.  It  rises  when  he 
is  seen,  to  higher  and  better  thoughts,  and  finds  and  breathes  a 
sublimer,  purer  atmosphere.  The  Christian  has  sometimes  been 
afraid  to  live,  lest  he  should  lose  the  heavenly  vision,  and  become 
again  an  alien  and  a  slave.  He  has  shunned  the  society  of  his 
dearest  friends,  as  in  a  sense  beneath  his  elevation,  and  incapable 
of  sharing  in  his  pleasures.  He  has  viewed  his  Christian  brethren 
as  too  darkened  in  their  views  and  too  sordid  in  their  taste,  to 
climb  with  him  the  Pisgah,  where  he  surveys  the  fields  of  promise. 
Now  this  is  the  only  employment  where  the  mind  can  be  said  to 
be  at  home,  and  be  furnished  its  legitimate  occupancy.  The  man 
assumes  in  such  an  hour  the  attitude  he  held  in  Eden,  when  all 
the  beauty  that  bloomed  about  him  was  viewed  as  but  the  mirror 
in  which  he  saw  distinctly  his  Creator  : 

"  These  are  thy  glorious  works,  parent  of  good ; 
Almighty !  this  thy  universal  name  : 
How  glorious  these,  thyself  how  glorious  then  ;" 

and  is  led  to  cry  in  the  same  elevated  language, 

"  Give  what  thou  canst,  without  thee  we  are  poor. 
And  with  thee  rich,  take  what  thou  wilt  away." 

Hence,  only  during  these  happy  periods,  does  the  mind  find  its  na- 
tive, sublime,  and  dignified  employment. 

2.  The  presence  of  God  with  his  people  gives  the  heart  its  no- 
blest^  happiest  employment.  Man  is  not  merely  qualified  to  think 
nobly,  but  to  feel  nobly.  When  his  thoughts  are  properly  em- 
ployed, if  the  heart  does  not  feel  corresponding  aflfection,  more 
than  half  the  man  is  still  enslaved  and  miserable.  True,  it  seldom, 
perhaps  never,  happens,  that  the  man  is  thus  divided,  half  a  tenant 
of  the  upper  world,  and  half  of  this.  Men  may  think  of  God  phi- 
losophically, and  may  find  the  subject  of  their  thoughts  elevating 
and  pleasant.  But  if,  while  the  mind  converses  with  God,  the 
heart  is  hard,  and  cold,  and  sordid,  it  cannot  rise  to  any  very  great 
elevation.  It  may  speculate  about  his  attributes,  and  names,  and 
operations,  but  in  its  sublimest  flights,  all  that  makes  heaven  glad 
is  hid  ;  all  that  angels  see,  and  admire,  and  adore,  is  covered  with 
the  veil  of  night.  Hence  said  one  of  the  best  of  men,  "  An  unde- 
vout  astronomer  is  mad." 

But  when  God  is  present  with  his  people,  he  does  not  sufl^er 
them  merely  to  stand  and  philosophize  about  the  exteriors  of  his 
being.     They  look  upon  him  without  a  veil,  and  are  happy.     The 

VOL.  II.  16 


122  THE    PRESENCE    OF    GOD 

eye  affects  the  heart,  and  draws  out  into  active  and  delightful  ex- 
ercise, its  strongest  and  its  best  affections.  God,  who  is  seen,  is 
loved  supremely.  All  his  attributes  are  lovely,  and  his  name  is 
lovely,  and  his  law  is  lovely,  and  his  kingdom  lovely.  He  would 
have  the  view  continue  for  ever,  and  if  it  might  continue  would 
be  satisfied.  He  gains  in  such  an  hour  his  best  ideas  of  heaven, 
and  when  the  vision  is  fled,  and  he  would  think  of  heaven,  he  en- 
deavors to  recall  what  he  felt  in  that  hour  when  his  faith  was 
strong,  and  God  was  nigh.  Indeed  the  Christian  is  furnished  from 
these  seasons  with  his  best,  his  happiest  contemplations,  and  often 
experiences  the  benefit  when  the  period  of  his  joy  is  gone  by. 
They  go  to  form  his  character,  and  to  render  him  a  distinct  man, 
from  the  best  of  those  who  have  never  enjoyed  such  delightful 
seasons  ;  which  leads  me  to  remark, 

3.  That  the  presence  of  God  with  his  people  tends  to  form  and 
mould  them  to  uprightness  of  Christian  deportment.  I  know  there 
is  a  rapturous  glow  of  religious  joy,  which  is  mistaken  for  the  Di- 
vine presence,  but  which  bears  no  heavenly  fruits.  When  the 
rapture  ceases,  it  leaves  the  man  proud,  and  vain,  and  selfish. 
He  compasses  himself  about  with  sparks  of  his  own  kindling,  and 
walks  in  the  light  of  his  own  fire.  He  imagines  himself  the  fa- 
vorite of  heaven,  as  he  could  not  else  have  been  admitted  to  see, 
as  he  terms  it,  the  Divine  glory. 

Now,  when  the  soul  has  been  with  God,  the  efl^ects  are  precisely 
the  opposite  of  all  this.  It  renders  the  believer  humble.  We 
cannot  see  God,  without  discovering  by  contrast  our  own  true 
character : 

«  The  more  thy  glories  lure  my  gaze, 
The  humbler  I  shall  lie  ; 
Thus  while  I  sink,  my  joys  shall  rise 
Umneasurably  high." 

No  apostle  appears  to  have  been  admitted  to  more  intimate 
views  of  God  than  Paul,  yet  none  was  humbler.  Many  of  those 
expressions  of  lowliness,  which  have  enriched  the  prayers  of  God's 
people  in  all  ages  of  the  Christian  Church  were  uttered  by  him 
who  had  been  caught  up  into  the  third  heaven,  and  had  seen  things 
that  were  unutterable.  He  was  ever  after  less  than  the  least  of 
all  saints,  was  not  meet  to  be  called  an  apostle,  and  was  heard  to 
cry  out,  "  0  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from 
the  body  of  this  death."  The  same  will  always  be  the  efl^ect  of 
seeing  God.     "  I  have  heard  of  thee  with  the  hearing  of  the  ear, 


THE    GLORY    AND    GUIDE    OF    HIS   PEOPLE.  123 

but  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee,  wherefore  I  abhor  myself,  and  re- 
pent in  dust  and  ashes."  Ezekiel  and  John,  when  they  saw  God, 
fell  on  their  faces.  Hence  a  sight  of  God  will  not  fail  to  render 
our  deportment  humble. 

It  will  also  produce  deadness  to  the  world.  Uncover  to  our 
view  the  glories  of  a  better  world,  and  this  must  fade  and  lose  its 
brightness.  How  mean  and  poor  will  appear  the  enjoyments  and 
the  interests  of  the  present  state,  to  one  who  has  held,  if  but  for 
an  hour,  uninterrupted  communion  with  God.  Nothing  that  is 
seen  and  temporal,  can  have  any  glory  or  any  worth  afterward, 
that  can  be  deliberately  compared  with  what  was  seen  in  God. 
Hence  there  will  be  a  suppression  of  covetousness  and  envy,  and 
of  all  the  passions  that  grow  out  of  them,  and  the  deeds  which 
these  passions  generate.  Hence,  when  you  meet  with  one  whom 
notliing  but  gain  will  satisfy,  who  will  cry  after  his  gains,  as  one 
did  when  he  missed  his  idols,  "  Ye  have  taken  away  my  gods,  and 
what  have  I  more,"  you  may  presume,  without  much  fear  of 
mistake,  that  he  has  never  tasted  of  that  joy  of  which  we  have 
spoken.  He  has  seen  no  better  things  than  those  that  are  earthly 
and  sensual,  and  they  have  become  his  supreme  good.  Moses 
would  not  wish  to  stay  in  the  wilderness,  after  he  had  climbed 
Pisgah.  Nor  would  Peter  and  John,  after  they  had  seen  transfi- 
gured the  Lord  Jesus,  have  any  wish  to  quit  the  place. 

The  presence  of  God  generates  a  heavenly  mind,  makes  every 
thing  earthly  look  small  and  insignificant,  and  tends  to  render  the 
man  a  pilgrim  and  a  stranger.  Hence  a  life  of  godliness,  a  course 
of  conduct  that  has  supreme  reference  to  the  life  to  come.  The 
man  becomes  so  changed,  that  the  world  takes  knowledge  of  him 
that  he  has  been  with  Jesus.  He  cannot  enter  again  into  all  the 
little  cares  and  quarrels  that  previously  engrossed  his  mind. 

4.  The  presence  of  God  inspires  pure  and  heavenly  hopes.  There 
must  sit  a  gloom  upon  the  brow  of  impenitence,  when  there  is  any 
thought.  The  impenitent  man  who  is  happy  and  who  covers  his 
face  with  a  smile,  while  there  hangs  over  him  the  wrath  of  God, 
is  an  object  of  painful  contemplation.  Not  that  there  is  any  vir- 
tue in  despair,  or  any  merit  in  gloom  and  melancholy ;  but  how 
can  he  be  happy  who  casts  his  eye  along  the  track  of  life  and  sees 
awaiting  him  ever,  the  horrors  of  the  death-bed,  and  all  beyond  is 
the  blackness  of  darkness  forever  1  And  there  can  be  but  little 
hope  of  a  better  doom  till  God  has  smiled  upon  the  soul.  Then 
there  are  generated  high  and  heavenly  hopes.  The  mind  argues 
thus,  God  would  not  give  me  these  comforts  merely  to  render  me 


124i  THE    PRESENCE    OF    GOD 

miserable.  He  would  not  thus  lift  the  veil  that  covers  eternity, 
and  show  me  himself  and  some  of  the  glory  that  surrounds  him, 
and  then  shut  those  glories  up  for  ever  from  my  view.  As  reason- 
ed the  wife  of  Manoah  on  his  suggestion  that  because  they  had 
seen  God  they  must  die,  "  If  the  Lord  were  pleased  to  kill  us,  he 
would  not  have  received  a  burnt  offering  and  a  meat  offering  at 
our  hands:  neither  would  he  have  showed  us  all  these  things,  nor 
would  as  at  this  time  have  told  us  such  things  as  these." 

Thus  every  believer  will  argue,  when  he  has  evidence  that  he 
has  experienced  true  Christian  joy,  has  seen  the  reconciled  face  of 
God.  He  will  say  within  himself,  God  has  not  done  all  this  in  an- 
ger;  it  cannot  be  in  his  heart  to  thus  render  every  earthly  scene 
dull,  and  raise  my  hopes  of  what  he  will  one  day  do  for  me,  when 
he  has  no  such  kind  intentions.  Should  a  prince,  who  had  power 
to  choose  his  successor,  but  had  no  heir  to  whom  it  was  expected 
he  would  bequeath  the  throne,  call  some  beggar  frequently  into 
his  palace  and  put  on  him  the  royal  vestments  and  the  crown, 
would  he  not  gather  the  hope,  and  gather  it  legitimately,  that  the 
prince  intended  that  one  day  he  should  wield  a  sceptre  1  Else 
why  tantalize  him  with  the  investiture  of  the  royal  equipments  1 
And  if  God  never  intends  to  bring  his  people  to  heaven,  why  give 
them  these  foretastes  of  his  glory  1  Why  lift  up  upon  them  the 
light  of  his  countenance  and  put  gladness  into  their  hearts,  such  as 
cannot  be  created  by  the  increase  of  corn  and  wine,  when  no  fa- 
vor is  intended  him  beyond  what  earthly  objects  can  produce  1 
Thus  the  presence  of  God  inspires  hope  ;  scatters  the  gloom  that 
hangs  over  the  mind  ;  and  casts  upon  the  prospect  the  light  of  life. 
The  good  man  becomes  of  course  a  cheerful  man.  He  can  pass 
through  many  a  dark  scene  joyful  and  happy.  He  has  songs  in 
the  night,  and  is  thus  made  to  differ  from  all  others. 

Thus  the  presence  of  God  with  his  people,  signalizes  them  by 
elevating  their  views,  by  furnishing  the  heart  its  noblest,  happiest 
employment,  by  moving  them  to  uprightness  of  Christian  deport- 
ment, and  by  inspiring  pure  and  heavenly  hopes. 

5.  The  presence  of  God  with  his  people,  distinguishes  them  by 
enlightening  and  sanctifying  (heir  consciences.  There  is  probably  no 
point  in  which  God's  people  difl"er  more  from  the  world  than  in 
the  superior  sensibility  of  their  consciences.  1  know  we  meet 
with  numerous  instances  where  there  is  a  profession  of  godliness, 
but  a  total  destitution  of  moral  sensibility,  but  I  know  too  that  in 
no  such  case  can  there  be  the  grace  of  God.  He  who  does  not 
aim  to  have  a  conscience  void  of  oflfence  toward  God  and  toward 


THE    GLORY    AND    GUIDE    OF    HIS   PEOPLE.  125 

man,  manifests  that  he  neither  understands  the  law  nor  the  gospel, 
nor  has  felt  the  sanctifying  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Nor  can 
there  be  a  doubt  but  the  presence  of  God  with  his  people  tends, 
more  than  all  other  things,  to  put  right  this  power  of  the  soul. 
Sin  has  disordered  its  judgment,  and  unbelief  keeps  it  disordered. 
But  when  God  is  nigh,  and  is  looking  into  our  inward  parts,  then 
conscience  can  be  heard,  and  will  speak,  and  her  sentence  uill  be 
according  to  truth.  And  when  this  happens  often,  there  is  found 
the  habit  of  correct  judgment.  And  conscience  will  carry  lier 
faithful  news  into  the  dark  hour.  We  have  seen  the  apostate, 
who  really  never  did  enjoy  the  presence  of  God,  still  very  wretch- 
ed, because  he  had  come  in  contact  with  truth  and  had  impercep- 
tibly learned  what  is  duty.  And  we  have  always  seen  the  back- 
slider miserable  because  once  he  did  approach  near  to  God,  and 
when  there  had  his  conscience  corrected  by  the  law  and  the  testi- 
mony. Hence  he  could  never  wander  so  far  as  to  forget  wholly 
what  once  he  knew  of  truth  and  duty.  It  is  true  that  as  he  wan- 
dered his  conscience  became  less  and  less  sensible,  and  would  at 
length,  but  for  the  covenant  faithfulness  of  God,  have  been  seared 
as  with  a  hot  iron.  With  the  apostate  this  jften  becomes  the  f  ict, 
though  probably  not  always  in  the  present  life.  But  the  believer 
will  have  a  conscience  more  or  less  correct  in  proportion  as  he 
walks  with  God.  You  never  knew  the  case  when  the  believer  had 
been  spending  the  Sabbath  in  near  communion  with  God,  when  he 
could  spend  the  evening  in  a  light  and  trifling  manner.  You  never 
saw  him  come  warm  from  his  closet  and  wrong  or  backbite  his 
neigljbor.  When  you  see  him  worldly,  and  forgetful  of  duty, 
proud,  contentious,  envious,  or  idle,  you  know  assuredly  tliat  he 
has  had  no  communion  with  God  that  day.  When  you  see  in  him 
on  any  occasion  a  want  of  regard  to  duty,  you  infer  infallibly,  tliat 
he  has  been  for  some  time  without  any  visit  between  his  Savior 
and  his  soul.  Show  me  the  man  who  has  just  quitted  his  labor  to 
go  alone  and  pray,  because  he  could  not  wait  the  ordinary  season 
of  retirement,  and  that  man  will  not  speak  wrongly,  or  deal  un- 
mercifully with  his  beast.  Show  me  any  two  men  who  are  con- 
tending, and  I  can  predict  with  certainty  that  one  of  them  at  least 
is  not  thirsting  for  God,  for  the  living  God.  There  is  a  total  and 
unchangeable  dissonance  between  communion  with  God,  and  all 
iniquity.  Bring  up  the  conscience,  as  it  is  brought  up  in  an  hour  of 
spiritual  enjoyment,  to  a  close  contact,  to  a  strict  and  rigorous 
comparison  with  the  testimonies  of  the  Lord,  and  its  prompt  and, 
if  necessary,  desoerate  fidelity  will  bear  unequivocal  witness  to  the 


126  THE    PRESENCE    OF    GOD 

truth  tnat  God  has,  while  it  was  near  to  him,  stamped  upon  it  his 
own  impress.  And  it  will  often  wear  the  image  it  has  received, 
when  the  memory  of  that  season  of  fellowship  has  almost  fled. 

II.  That  all  this  is  evidence  of  their  adoption.  "  Wherein  shall  it 
be  known  how  that  I  and  thy  people  have  found  grace  in  thy  sight  \ 
Is  it  not  that  thou  goest  with  us  1  So  shall  we  be  separated,  I  and 
thy  people,  from  all  the  people  that  are  upon  the  face  of  the  earth." 
I  use  the  word  adoption  without  the  wish  to  force  this  upon  you 
as  precisely  the  thought  sustained  in  the  text.  If  you  please,  sub- 
stitute repentance.  The  idea  is,  how  should  it  be  known  that  the 
family  of  Jacob  were  God's  peculiar  people,  his  inheritance,  but 
by  their  distinctness  of  character  and  conduct  from  all  others. 
Perhaps  adoption  is  a  term  as  suitable  as  any  other.  Their  dis- 
tinctness of  character  becomes  evidence  of  their  adoption,  by  the 
peculiar  characteristics  of  that  distinction. 

The  Mohammedans  are  a  distinct  and  peculiar  people.  They  have 
a  system  of  laws  that  bind  no  other  people,  and  a  form  of  cere- 
monies and  a  mode  of  propagating  their  faith  such  as  no  other 
people  have  adopted ;  but  all  this  is  no  evidence  that  they  are  the 
people  of  God.  And  I  might  illustrate  the  same  truth  by  other 
comparisons.  Hence,  if  we  find  a  people  who  are  like  no  others, 
this,  by  itself,  will  prove  nothing  respecting  their  relationship  to 
Go!. 

r>\\t  we  mark  in  the  people  of  God,  as  the  surrounding  nations 
did  in  the  Israelites,  a  distinctness  that  is  evidence  of  their  adop- 
tion ;  it  consists  in  their  conformity  to  the  will  of  God.  The  Jew- 
ish family  had  their  laws  from  heaven.  In  all  their  movements 
they  made  inquiry  of  the  Lord,  who  gave  them  immediate  direc- 
tion, and  thus  signalized  them  from  any  people  who  had  ever 
crossed  that  desert,  or  had  ever  been  known  or  heard  of  in  that 
age  or  country.  Men  had  carried  their  idols  with  them,  and  had 
repeated  their  sacrifices  and  their  prayers  to  gods  who  could  nei- 
ther hear,  nor  speak,  nor  save.  But  no  people,  till  Israel  journeyed 
to  the  land  of  promise,  had  ever  been  led  day  and  night  by  a  pillar 
of  cloud,  and  found  immediate  guardianship  and  protection  when- 
ever they  were  in  straits  and  difficulties.  But  if  God  were  so 
angry  that  he  would  not  accompany  Israel,  their  peculiarity  would 
cease  ;  the  nations  would  see  that  they  were  not  defended  nor 
guided,  and  would  fall  upon  them  and  make  them  an  easy  prey. 
God  could  only  testify  his  love  to  them,  and  iiis  care  of  them,  by 
continuing  his  presence  and  his  glory  in  the  midst  of  them.    Thia 


THE    GLORY    AND    GUIDE    OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  127 

Moses  saw  and  felt,  when  he  prayed,  as  in  'the  text,  "  Wherein 
shall  it  be  known  how  that  I  and  thy  people  have  found  grace  in 
thy  sight  1  Is  it  not  that  thou  goest  with  us  1  So  shall  we  be 
separated,  I  and  thy  people,  from  all  the  people  that  are  upon  the 
face  of  the  earth." 

So  that  peculiarity  in  the  people  of  God,  which  the  ungodly  see, 
and  which  it  is  desirable  they  should  see,  in  every  age,  consists 
in  their  conformity  to  the  mind  and  will  of  God.  They  rectify 
their  consciences  and  their  lives  by  the  Scriptures,  practice  the 
duties  it  enjoins,  cultivate  the  temper,  and  form  the  habits,  and 
speak  the  language  it  teaches.  And  no  farther  than  this  is  the 
case,  have  they  evidence  to  themselves,  or  can  give  evidence  to 
others,  that  they  are  the  people  of  God. 

The  men  of  the  world  have  the  Bible  in  their  hands,  but  though 
they  believe  it  to  be  the  word  of  God,  they  feel  themselves  disin- 
clined to  model  their  character  after  its  precepts.  Hence,  if  they 
see  about  them  a  people  who  in  this  respect  difler  from  them,  who 
make  it  their  chief  concern  to  obey  the  precepts  of  the  Lord,  and 
form  a  character  after  the  pattern  given  in  that  holy  book,  it  is 
inferred  from  this  peculiarity  that  tliey  are  the  people  of  God. 

They  would  not  thus  regard  the  Divine  precepts,  but  from  duti- 
ful respect  and  affection  to  their  author.  Many  duties  are  en- 
joined that  are  unpleasant,  that  require  self-denial,  that  curb  the 
appetites,  and  restrain  the  passions.  Men  are  commanded  to  deny 
themselves,  to  take  up  their  cross,  to  crucify  the  flesh,  with  its 
affections  and  lusts,  to  return  good  for  evil — but  duties  like  these 
can  only  be  pleasant  where  there  is  a  spirit  of  obedience,  where 
there  is  love.  Hence,  if  any  man  distinguishes  himself  from  the 
men  of  the  world,  by  his  obedience  to  the  Divine  precepts,  they 
infer  from  this  singularity  of  character,  that  he  loves  God,  reveres 
his  authority,  and  esteems  his  favor  a  high  and  distinguished 
blessing.  They  are  entirely  conscious  that  they  feel  no  such 
regard  to  the  authority  of  God,  and  make  no  such  estimate  of  his 
friendship  and  his  love  ;  and  very  naturally  infer,  from  the  conduct 
of  the  dutiful  Christian,  that  he  has  a  different  temper  from  that 
which  they  possess  themselves.  Thus  the  singularity  of  the  be- 
liever, when  it  consists  in  his  obedience  to  God— and  there  must 
be  this  obedience,  or  there  can  be  no  evidence  of  faith — becomes 
proof  decisive  to  all  about  him  that  he  loves  God,  and  is  a  member 
of  his  family. 

When  men  have  practised  singularities  that  God  has  not  enjoined, 
and  have  thus  calculated  to  do  him  honor,  they  have  but  covered 


128  THE    PRESENCE    OF    GOD 

themselves  with  shame.  "  The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and 
drink,  but  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost." 
"  For  he  that  in  these  things  serveth  Christ,  is  accepted  of  God, 
and  approved  of  men."  God  has  not  specified  how  his  children 
shall  feed,  or  dress,  or  walk.  He  has  appointed  them  no  unmean- 
ing ceremonies,  by  which  he  would  have  them  designated.  He 
has  not  required  them  to  wear  a  breastplate,  a  cross,  or  a  crescent. 
Me  has  not  enjoined  a  coat  of  sackcloth,  nor  a  veil,  nor  a  sad 
countenance,  nor  torn  garments,  nor  lacerated  limbs.  By  no  such 
means  may  men  become  singular,  and  suppose  that  they  are  thus 
doing  any  part  of  duty.  But  in  obeying  the  commandments  of 
God,  it  is  their  duty  to  differ  from  all  who  are  not  obedient,  and 
to  differ  in  this  respect  as  widely  as  possible.  Would  to  God  that 
no  believer,  from  this  lime  till  the  last  day,  would,  in  one  single 
case,  neglect  a  duty,  or  be  guilty  of  a  deed  forbidden,  to  please  or 
conform  himself  to  the  men  of  the  world.  If  they  please,  let  them 
pronounce  us  rigid.  To  be  rigid  in  duty,  should  be  our  choice; 
it  is  the  only  way  in  which  we  can  bless  the  world  by  our  example, 
and  certainly  is  giving  the  highest  possible  expression  of  our  love 
to  God. 

While  in  this  respect  we  are  seen  to  be  a  distinct  people,  we 
not  only  give  evidence  that  we  love  God,  but  that  God  loves  us. 
It  is  well  known  that  men  are  not  by  nature  disposed  to  obey  the 
Lord.  They  do  not  love  himself  nor  his  law,  and  their  language 
is,  "  Depart  from  us,  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways." 
Such  is  known  to  be  the  native  character  of  every  man.  Now,  if 
from  a  race  of  beings  who  are  thus  hostile  to  their  Maker  and 
their  duty,  it  is  seen  that  God  has  chosen  to  himself  a  people,  and 
made  them  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power,  is  giving  them  his  law, 
which  they  cheerfully  obey,  it  becomes  manifest  that  God  loves 
them,  and  has  adopted  them,  and  is  sanctifying  them,  and  will 
finally  bring  them  to  his  kingdom.  As  they  become  more  and 
more  unlike  those  about  them,  they  become  more  and  more  like 
Go '.  He  instamps  upon  them  his  own  image.  Christ  is  formed 
in  th'.^m  the  hope  of  glory.  Thus  the  singularity  of  God's  people 
is  evidence  to  the  world  of  their  adoption. 

REMARKS. 

1.  We  see  whence  we  are  to  gather  the  hope  that  we  are  be- 
lievers. We  are  to  obtain  that  hope  from  the  same  source,  in  a 
measure,  and  in  a  great  measure,  from  whence  others  are  justified 
in  entertaining  a  hope  respecting  us, — our  unlikeness  of  character 


THE    GLORY    AND    GUIDE    OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  129 

and  conduct  from  the  character  and  conduct  of  the  men  of  the 
world.  It  is  true,  that  the  people  of  God  have  Christian  feelings^ 
which  of  themselves  is  evidence  that  they  are  the  children  of  God, 
"  the  Spirit  bearing  witness  with  our  spirits  that  we  are  the  child- 
ren of  God."  But  while  all  this  is  true,  it  is  also  true  that  our 
feelings  need  themselves  to  be  tested,  whether  they  are  genuine 
Christian  feelings.  There  are  feelings  that  are  mere  enthusiasm, 
which  yet  engender  a  strong,  bat  ill-grounded  hope  of  eternal  life. 
Bat  we  have  in  the  subject  before  us  one  sure  criterion  of  the 
genuineness  of  our  feelings.  If  they  are  Christian  feelings,  they 
will  lead  to  the  formation  of  a  character,  and  the  exhibition  of  a 
conduct  wholly  distinct  from  the  character  and  conduct  of  the 
men  of  the  world.  They  will  operate  to  render  us  humble,  and 
watchful,  and  prayerful,  and  heavenly-minded.  They  will  render 
us  meelf,  and  pitient,  and  benevolent,  and  merciful. 

We  se3  in  mmy  professors  of  godliness,  notwithstanding  much 
that  is  considered  piety,  certain  things  which  bring  their  piety 
into  doubt,  certain  principles,  which,  notwithstanding  their  appa- 
rent zeal,  casts  a  cloud  upon  their  godliness,  and  conforms  them 
to  the  men  of  the  world.  We  have  seen  ambition,  and  pride,  and 
vanity.  There  are  certain  men  in  every  country,  and  in  every 
age,  who  can  never  be  edified  but  where  they  can  be  conspicuous, 
where  they  can  be  leaders.  We  can  always  anticipate  their  opinion 
of  any  plan,  by  observing  where  it  will  place  thzm.  We  have  seen 
envy  operate  to  render  those  unhappy  who  profess  to  love  the 
Lord  Jesus,  when  others  had  more  attention,  and  were  more  hon- 
ored than  themselves.  We  have  even  seen  some  of  the  noblest 
Christian  enterprises  defeated  by  the  jealousies  of,  as  we  hope, 
Gors  people.  We  have  seen,  and  have  often  seen,  mingled,  the 
hottest  zeal,  and  the  spirit  of  slander,  x\\e  loarm.est  prayers,  and  the 
coldtst  charity.  Thus  the  spirit  of  the  world  has  gone  into  a  warm 
profession,  has  approached  the  very  altar,  and  has  cursed  the 
sacrifice. 

A  religion  that  does  not  transform  us  into  the  image  of  Christ 
should  never  be  the  basis  of  Christian  hope.  We  may  have 
changed  our  associates,  and  in  a  measure  our  employment,  and 
still  may  wear  essentially  the  same  character  as  before.  If  we 
are  unlike  the  world,  we  shall  see  the  contrast  as  well  as  others. 
We  shall  have  at  hand  every  day  the  means  of  judging  whether 
indeed  "  we  are  risen  with  Christ,  and  are  seeking  those  things 
that  are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God." 
And  in  the  mean  time,  the  world  will  take  knowledge  of  us  that 

VOL.  11.  17 


130  THE    PRESENCE    OF    GOD 

we  have  been  with  Jesus  ;  and  though  they  may  cast  out  our 
names  as  evil,  will  yield  us  that  highest  honor,  the  honor  of  being 
in  some  measure  like  him.  And  we  need  not  then  fear  but  God 
will  make  us  happy,  our  hope  will  be  strong,  and  our  Christian 
consolations  many.  God  will  graciously  guide  us  by  his  counsel, 
and  afterward  receive  us  to  glory. 

2.  Would  believers  be  useful  to  those  around  them,  it  must  be, 
not  by  becoming  like  them,  but  unlike  them.  In  this  way  only  can 
they  give  evidence  that  they  have  enjoyed  communion  with  God, 
or  that  they  are  in  the  habit  of  holding  fellowship  with  him.  But 
it  not  unfrequently  happens,  whether  from  a  desire  to  be  useful, 
God  knows,  that  Christians  endeavor  to  become  conformed  to  the 
maxims  and  the  spirit  of  the  world.  They  have  been  known  to 
say,  and  perhaps  they  have  believed,  that  by  putting  on  the  char- 
acter and  imitating  the  conduct  as  far  as  might  be,  of  ungodly 
men,  they  could  be  the  more  useful.  But  has  it  so  happened  1 
When  the  believer  has  gone  with  them  to  the  place  of  rendezvous, 
did  he  restrain  them,  or  did  they  corrupt  him  \  When  he  took 
the  social  cup,  did  he  teach  them  to  use  it  temperately,  or  they 
him  to  become  intemperate^.  Did  his  presence  there  iiftake  them 
ashamed  of  sin,  or  did  they  soon  render  him  ashamed  of  his  Sa- 
vior, his  piety,  and  his  prayers'!  Did  he  render  thei^  consciences 
so  disturbed  that  they  quit  the  place,  or  did  they  render  his  so  cal- 
ous  that  he  gave  them  no  molestation.  Did  he  finally  lead  them 
to  the  sanctuary,  or  did  they  tempt  him  to  lounge  aw&y  his  Sabbath 
upon  his  bed  \  Did  they  accompany  him  to  the  place  of  prayer, 
or  did  they  bring  him  at  length  to  vacate  his  own  seat  ?  Did  their 
characters  finally  conform  to  his,  or  his  to  theirs'?  That  passage 
then  in  the  history  of  Paul  has  been  perverted,  in  which  he  says 
he  became  all  things  to  all  men  that  he  might  gain  some.  It  can- 
not mean  that  he  endeavored  to  conform  his  character  to  the  charac- 
ter of  the  ungodly  that  he  might  save  them.  It  can  mean  nothing 
more  than  that  he  adapted  his  arguments  to  the  people  he  would 
save.  When  he  reasoned  with  a  Jew,  he  would  reason  Avith  him 
out  of  his  own  Scriptures,  and  when  with  the  Athenians  he  would 
argue  from  the'  language  of  their  own  poets.  • 

No,  brethren,  when  we  would  do  good  to  ungodly  men,  we  must 
aim  at  as  wide  a  contrast  as  possible  between  ourselves  and  them. 
If  they  are  light  we  must  be  sober  minded,  if  they  are  profane  we 
must  pray,  if  they  curse  we  must  bless,  if  they  are  worldly  minded 
we  must  be  heavenly  minded.  Thus  every  deed  of  ours  is  useful 
to  them,  and  thus  only   when  we  differ  from  them  exactly  when 


THE    GLORY    AND    GUIDE    OP    HIS    PEOPLE.  131 

they  are  at  issue  with  the  law  of  God.  Were  this  the  fact  with 
every  professor  of  godliness,  sin  would  not  thus  be  justified  by 
our  example  and  every  transgressor  would  feel  himself  reproved 
by  our  conduct.  Their  own  consciences  would  then  do  their  of- 
fice and  they  would  blush  at  their  own  impiety.  We  should  then 
hedge  up  their  path  to  perdition  with  thorns,  and  should  render 
the  way  of  transgressors  hard.  They  would  see  our  good  works, 
and  many  of  them,  we  hope,  would  be  induced  to  glorify  our  heav- 
enly Father.  They  would  take  knowledge  of  us  that  we  had  been 
with  Jesus.  They  would  see,  that  as  in  so  many  instances  in 
which  we  differ  from  them  they  are  wrong,  they  are  probably 
wrong  in  every  point  of  difference. 

3.  The  subject  shows  us  in  what  light  we  are  to  view  those 
Christians  and  those  ministers  of  religion  who  make  it  their  great 
aim  to  break  down  all  distinction  in  appearance  between  godliness 
and  ungodliness.  They  look  for  no  change,  and  wish  for  none 
in  those  who  are  admitted  to  their  communion,  and  they  have  been 
heard  to  say  that  regeneration  is  all  a  dream.  It  often  orrieves  them 
when  they  see  awakenings,  and  they  sneer  at  the  alarms  of  such 
as  have  gained  some  view  of  their  real  condition,  and  have  fled  for 
refuge  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  them  in  the  crospel. 
They  would  have  the  man  who  has  begun  to  put  his  trust  in  the 
Lord,  keep  on  him  all  that  belonged  to  him  as  a  man  of  the  world, 
and  be  as  vain,  and  gay,  and  sportive,  and  prayerless,  as  when  he 
stood  in  the  ranks  of  death.  They  have  their  motive  in  all  this. 
They  would  hope  for  heaven  themseh^es,  while  no  change  of  heart 
and  life  has  even  rendered  them  dissimilar  from  the  great  mass  of* 
the  ungodly,  and  they  would  have  the  real  Christian  act  like  them, 

'that  they  may  have  the  belter  ground  to  hope,  that  in  the  end  it 
shall  be  well  with  them.  But  their  souls  are  lost  if  believers  act 
according  to  their  wishes,  as  they  are  then  confirmed  in  all  their 
d^usions. 

4.  The  subject  shows  us  that  a  (Jiscri?nman?ig  gospel  is  the  o?ihj 
uieful  gospol.  If  the  truth  is  exhibited  so  indefinitely,  that  men 
never  learn  their  own  characters,  they  never  will  see  the  necessity 
of  a  change  of  character.  Men  must  know  what  they  are,  and 
what  God  requires  them  to  be,  else  there  is  no  hope  "  that  the 
gospel  will  prove  to  them  a  savor  of  life  unto  life."  The  whole 
design  of  the  gospel  ministry  is  to  take  a  people  from  the  world, 
and  make  them  wholly  unlike  the  mass  from  which  they  are  taken,  * 
and  train  them  up  to  that  familiarity  of  character  and  conduct 
which  God  requires.     Its  iirst  and  its  last  lesson  to  believers  must 


132  THE    PRESENCE    OF    GOD 

wbe,  "  We  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  that  ye  may 
'show  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness 
into  his  marvellous  light."  And  when  the  gospel  loves  this  pecu- 
liar feature,  it  loves  all  its  worth.  When  it  allows  men  of  all  char- 
acter to  hope  for  heaven,  the  praying  and  the  prayless,  the  humble 
and  proud  ;  the  world-loving  and  the  heavenly-minded  ;  the  tem- 
perate and  the  dissipated ;  the  attendant  upon  God's  worship,  and 
God's  ordinances,  and  the  Sabbath-breaker,  the  gospel  then  be- 
comes as  the  Koran.  It  even  becomes  in  such  circumstances  the  sa- 
vor of  death  unto  death;  seals  in  eternal  slumber  the  eyes  it 
should  open,  sears  the  conscience  it  should  enlighten,  and  hardens 
the  heart  it  should  sanctify.  It  becomes  a  soft  harmonious  lullaby, 
under  which  men  slumber  more  profoundly  than  if  no  accents  fell 
upon  the  ear.  It  would  be  the  policy  of  all  who  give  any  credit 
to  the  Divine  testimony,  to  wish  a  gospel  that  disseminates,  and 
cutting  off  every  false  hope,  urges  on  the  Christian  to  every  affec- 
tion and  every  deed,  by  which  the  man  of  God  is  commanded  to 
distinguish  himself  from  the  mass  of  the  ungodly  around  him.  It 
should  catch  from  the  lips  of  the  Lord  Jesus  that  saying,  "Be  ye 
followers  of  me  as  dear  children,"  and  that  other  saying,  "  He  that 
is  perfect  shall  be  as  his  Master." 

5.  We  see  the  imperious  duty  of  Christian  Churches  to  render 
their  enclosures  sacred.  A  Church  is  of  no  use  as  a  light  to 
lighten  a  dark  world,  if  that  Church  embodies  the  principles  of  the 
world,  and  imitates  its  examples.  Let  one  profane  man  live  un- 
reproved  and  undisciplined  in  a  Christian  Church,  and  that  Church 
'as  such  cannot  be  said  to  bear  testimony  against  profanity.  Let 
there  be  one  drunkard  there,  and  they  bear  no  testimony 
against  intemperance.  One  adulterer,  and  they  bear  no  testimony 
aoainst  fornication.  One  swindler,  and  they  do  not  testify  against 
dishonesty.  One  who  deserts  the  communion  and  the  sanctuary, 
and  they  nullify  the  very  ordinances  which  are  the  seals  of  their 
fellowship.  One  who  denies  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and  they 
virtually  give  up  their  creed  and  their  covenant,  the  basis  of  their 
union.  And  then  what  is  the  use  of  a  Christian  Church,  when  it 
bears  no  testimony  gainst  sin,  and  when  it  has  no  character  dis- 
tinct from  the  world  1  Why  enclose  a  (ew  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  world  with  creeds,  and  covenants,  and  sacraments,  if  no  rea- 
son can  be  offered  why  they,  rather  than  others,  should  be  embraced 
•  within  these  enclosures  ! 

But  would  any  Church  of  Christ  render  itself  useful,  its  course 
is. plain.     We  must  purge    ourselves^   and  watch  and  purge  our 


THE  GLORY  AND  GUIDE  OF  HIS  PEOPLE.  133 

brethren,  till  our  character  differs,  and  we  are  separated  from  all 
the  people  who  are  upon  the  face  of  the  earth.  Then  and  not  till 
then  will  our  light  shine  before  men,  "  that  they  seeing  our  good 
works  may  glorify  our  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  We  are  not  to 
forget  what  we  have  covenanted.  We  have  engaged  to  come  out 
from  tKe  world  and  be  separate  ;  to  deny  ourselves  all  ungodliness, 
and  every  worldly  lust,  and  to  live  soberly  and  righteously  and 
godly  in  the  present  evil  world.  We  have  vowed  that  we  would 
follow  the  Lord  wholly;  that  we  would  take  up  our  cross  and 
follow  Jesus  ;  that  we  would  crucify  the  flesh,  with  the  affections 
and  lusts,  and  being  risen  with  Christ,  would  seek  those  thing-s 
that  are  above  where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  And 
to  faithfully  perform  these  vows,  both  as  individuals  and  as  a  Church, 
is  to  claim  our  constant  vigilance,  and  should  employ  our  daily 
prayers.  May  the  Lord  continue  his  presence  with  you,  and  thus 
distinguish  you  from  all  people,  and  make  it  known  that  vou  have 
found  grace  in  his  sight. 


•>i^'.«i 


4 


SERMON   LIII. 

THE  GOSPEL  RECLUSE. 

PSAI.M   LV.   6. 
Oh  that  I  had  w  ings  like  a  dove  !  for  Uieii  would  [  fly  away  and  be  at  rest. 

When  a  sentiment  like  this  originates  in  spleen,  in  disappointed 
ambition,  in  the  reluctant  subjugation  of  a  proud  mind,  it  is  wholly 
the  result  of  depravity,  and  is  unlovely.  One  may  be  sick  of  the 
world  because  the  world  is  sick  of  him,  and  may  wish  to  retire* 
from  its  noise  because  he  cannot  enjoy  more  of  its  confidence,  its 
honors,  and  its  wealth.  He  sees  in  himself  a  merit  that  others  do 
not  discern,  a  worth  and  a  greatness,  where  others  behold  only 
pride  and  vanity.  Hence  generally  a  charge  of  ingratitude,  a 
want  of  discernment,  knavery  and  villany,  all  because  he  has  not 
the  place  he  has  assigned  himself,  a  seat  higher  than  others  are 
willing  he  should  occupy. 

Now  a  spirit  like  this  deserves  only  contempt,  not  sympathy. 
It  is  the  sorrov/  of  the  world  that  worketh  death.  If  the  man  has 
no  humility  it  would  seem  he  might  have  discernment  enough  to 
put  himself  in  his  proper  place. 

Now  there  was  nothing  of  all  this  in  the  mind  of  David,  when 
he  uttered  the  sentiment  of  the  text.  He  was  sick  of  sin,  and  tired 
of  witnessing  the  conduct  of  wicked  men,  and  would  absent  him- 
self from  the  busy  scenes  of  life  if  he  might,  because  he  longed  to 
quit  his  contact  with  moral  pollution.  He  was  tired  of  violence, 
oppression  and  wrath,  of  scandal  and  strife,  and  deceit  and  guile, 
and  hypocrisy.  The  comforts  of  social  life  were,  for  the  time 
being,  overbalanced  by  the  miseries  it  produced,  and  he  would 
quit  the  one  if  he  might  fly  from  the  other. 

To  distinguish  nicely  between  these  sensations  and  those  which 
are  the  result  of  mere  dejection,  is  of  great  practical  importance. 
To  wish  an  asylum  from  moral  pollution,  and  shut  our  eyes  upon 
wrong,  is  a  gracious  affection  ;  but  to  be  discontented  with  our  lot, 
and  vexed  with  the  world  because  it  will  not  love  and  honor  us, 
is  but  the  paroxysm  of  pride,  and  vanity,  and  ambition.  And  if 
the  two  exercises  are  closely  examined  they  will  not  be  found  to 


THE    GOSPEL    KECLUSE.  135 

resemble  each  other  very  minutely.  He  who  would  retire  from 
the  world  because  of  its  moral  pollution,  and  the  consequent 
abridgment  of  its  comforts,  is  still  active  in  making  it  better. 
He  weeps  over  its  miseries,  and  prays  earnestly  to  heaven  for  that 
sanctifying  influence  that  can  heal  the  plagues  which  afflict  it.  He 
would  by  no  means  retire  from  the  world,  if  he  can  do  anything 
to  make  it  better.  He  would  not  quit  the  post  of  duty,  nor  spend 
all  his  energies  in  complaints  and  frowns  and  despondencies.  He 
would  mingle  with  the  world  just  enough  to  apply  to  its  plagues, 
every  remedy  in  his  power,  for  its  comfort  and  its  cure.  While 
the  man  of  mere  discontent  cares  not,  if  he  can  be  happy  himself, 
if  every  woe  he  witnesses  should  prove  incurable.  He  wishes 
only  a  rest  for  his  own  spirit.  If  the  world  would  only  honor  him, 
and  love  him,  it  might  remain  as  miserable  as  sin  can  make  it, 
and  not  a  tear  would  drop  from  his  eye. 

I.  It  will  be  my  object  in  what  follows  to  notice  some  of  the  things 
that  cifflict  the  good  man  and  contribute  to  render  him  sick  of  the  world. 
"  O  that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove  !  for  then  would  I  fly  away  and  be 
at  rest."  If  he  be  a  man  of  enlarged  mind,  he  casts  his  eye  over 
the  world,  and  surveys  at  one  view  the  whole  surface  of  its  desola- 
tions. It  is  a  world  that  God  buih  for  the  advancement  of  his 
glory.  There  are  scattered  over  it  wondrous  monuments  of  his 
wisdom  and  his  power.  It  rolls  with  other  worlds,  which  have 
not  like  this  become  disobedient,  and  like  them  is  lighted  and 
warmed  and  moved  by  the  hand  of  God.  But  sin  has  rendered  it 
a  vast  wilderness.  On  its  surface  it  wears  marks  of  the  curse, 
which  we  cannot  believe  could  be  traced  on  other  planets.  Much 
of  it  is  a  stormy  ocean,  and  much  of  the  residue  an  uncomely  and 
fruitless  wilderness,  from  which  heaven  withholds  its  showers,  or 
has  given  it  up  to  be  the  prey  of  darkness  and  frost,  and  storms; 
where  roam  the  beast  of  prey,  and  where  lurk  the  deadly  reptile, 
raging  with  hunger  and  armed  with  death. 

But  all  this,  dreary  as  is  the  prospect  which  it  presents  to  one 
who  would  have  God  honored  in  all  his  works,  is  nothing  compared 
with  the  moral  desolations  which  are  seen  at  the  same  sflance. 
The  intelligent  population  of  this  world  has  become  apostate,  and 
has  covered  it  with  a  deformity  more  disgusting  than  its  oceans, 
its  storms,  its  deserts,  or  its  beasts  of  prey.  Three-fourths  of  its 
population  have  made  no  effort  to  become  acquainted  with  their 
Creator,  will  not  even  use  the  light  that  shines  around  them,  and 
worship,  instead  of  God,  a  beast  or  a  block.     They  know  not  that 


136  THE    GOSPEL    RECLUSE. 

any  part  of  them  is  immortal,  and  make  no  provision  but  for  the 
life  that  now  is.  Thus  the  mind  is  lost,  and  the  vast  tracts  of 
idolatry,  as  to  any  praise  that  God  receives,  might  as  well  have 
been  the  exclusive  territory  of  the  ape  and  the  owl.  Then  we 
should  have  had  before  us  a  less  afflicting  view.  But  the  heathen 
are  depraved  and  miserable  and  yet  immortal.  Intelligence,  when  it 
becomes  alienated  from  its  author,  proves  an  engine  of  misery. 
Beasts  of  prey  cannot  be  as  wretched  as  men.  Hence  the  dark 
places  of  the  earth  are  full  of  the  habitations  of  cruelty.  The 
heathen  delight  in  devouring  each  other.  Their  wars  are  perpetual, 
and  bloody  and  desperate.  Their  forms  of  religion  are  about  as 
cruel  as  their  wars.  Their  human  sacrifices  outdo  in  frequency 
und  horror  our  utmost  corruptions.  Prisoners  of  war  are  offered 
to  their  infernal  deities  or  devoured  as  delicious  morsels.  Females 
are  en  masse  a  band  of  slaves,  children  are  destroyed  at  pleasure, 
and  the  sick  exposed  to  perish  by  their  nearest  friends.  Thus 
heathen  lands,  except  when  there  is  some  special  counteracting 
influence,  can  only  have  at  best  a  sparse,  and  cruel,  and  miserable 
population.  But  to  the  man  of  faith  this  is  not  all.  The  heathen 
have  souls  that  must  live  for  ever,  and  enough  of  God  can  be  known 
from  his  works,  to  render  them  without  excuse  for  not  loving  and 
serving  him.  Hence  we  shall  see  them  in  the  judgment,  and  shall 
see  every  final  idolater  condemned.  Wretched  then  as  they  are 
in  this  life,  there  are  more  consummate  miseries  for  them  in  the 
life  to  come.  For  the  invisible  things  of  God  from  the  creation 
are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are  made, 
even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead,  so  that  they  are  without 
excuse. 

Hence  when  the  good  man,  surveying  the  scenery  about  him, 
casts  his  eye  to  the  limit  of  his  landscape,  how  gloomy  must  be  his 
contemplations.  He  sees  six  hundred  millions  of  the  population 
of  the  globe,  immortal  like  himself,  and  like  himself  pressing  on  to 
the  judgment,  but  ignorant  of  the  way  of  salvation,  and  destined 
by  the  plainest  testimony  of  Scripture  to  persist  in  their  forgetful- 
ness  of  God,  and,  on  their  way  to  ruin,  employing  their  intelligence 
to  render  each  other  as  miserable  as  possible.  How  gloomy  to  the 
good  man  is  such  a  prospect !  How  can  he  fail  to  recognise,  in  the 
millions  of  the  miserable,  his  brethren  and  his  kindred,  and  how 
can  he  suppress  the  wish  that  he  could  quit  a  world  so  disloyal  and 
reprobate  I  He  will  be  doing  all  he  can  to  lessen  the  woe  he 
laments,  but  when  all  he  can  do  is  done,  there  will  remain  so  much 
misery  as  to  make  him  sigh  for  a  better  world  j   and  he  will 


THE    GOSPEL   RECLUSE.  137 

involuntarily  utter  the  language  of  the  text,  "  O  that  I  had  wings 
like  a  dove,  for  then  would  I  fly  away  and  be  at  rest." 

I  have  embraced  among  the  heathen  the  followers  of  Mahomet. 
We  cannot  contemplate  those  sections  of  the  earth,  overrun  by 
the  men  of  that  religion,  with  emotions  any  less  gloomy  than  those 
with  which  we  survey  the  heathen  world.  Their  character  is  so 
universally  savage  and  their  religion  so  bloody,  as  to  even  place 
them  among  the  most  forbidding  of  the  human  race.  All  Ma- 
hommedan  countries  are  the  seat  of  war,  robbery,  assassination, 
slavery,  and  crime  of  every  hue.  They  constitute  one  broad  em- 
pire of  ignorance,  iniquity,  and  death,  where  reigns  the  prince  of 
darkness  in  undisturbed  and  appalling  sovereignty.  Every  man 
holds  his  life  by  a  very  frail  tenure,  from  the  monarch  to  the 
menial ;  every  mind  is  dark,  every  heart  totally  polluted,  every  con- 
science misinformed.  Light  is  put  for  darkness  and  darkness  for 
light.  Their  hope  is  a  lie,  and  the  heaven  they  expect  a  paradise 
of  polluted,  sensual,  and  beastly  enjoyment.  Hence  no  territory 
is  surveyed  with  more  disgusting  and  horrid  sensations. 

But  when  the  good  man  limits  his  view  to  the  fields  of  Christen- 
dom, still  is  there  much  in  his  prospect  to  fill  his  soul  with  pain, 
and  make  him  sigh  for  a  lovelier  world.  There  are  parts  of  Chris- 
tendom where  religion  has  not  produced  the  blessedness  it  might. 
Their  religion  is  concise,  and  dark,  and  dubious.  It  fetters  the 
intellect,  the  conscience,  and  the  affections,  clouds  the  objects  of 
Christian  attachment,  and  casts  a  horrid  confusion  and  uncertainty 
upon  every  object  of  faith.  Upon  all  Catholic  countries  it  cannot 
"be  denied,  that  there  shines  merely  the  twilight  of  revelation.  God 
committed  to  them  his  word,  but  they  have  so  corrupted  its  light, 
that  they  have  become  afraid  of  the  sacred  book,  and  have  commit- 
ted it  to  the  flames.  Hence  many  districts  of  Christendom  are 
about  as  dark  as  pagan  lands,  and  can  be  said  to  have  only  the  ap- 
pendages of  the  gospel ;  and  their  population,  instead  of  being  guid- 
ed to  heaven,  are  lost  and  bewildered  amid  the  mazes  of  an  awful 
and  complicated  superstition.  From  these  darker  shades  religion 
emerges,  till  in  a  few  small  districts  she  is  seen  to  enjoy  her  free- 
dom and  her  beauty.  Thus  Christendom  itself  presents  a  dreary 
aspect,  and  is  lighted  rather  by  a  taper  than  by  the  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness. 

Hence  much  of  this  sacred  territory  is  an  almost  continued 
scene  of  quarrel  and  of  blood.  The  badge  of  authority  is  the 
sword,  and  men  are  made  decent  and  subordinate  by  the  fear  of 
death,  rather  than  by  the  laws  of  the  Lord  Jesus.    An  armed  force 

VOL.  II.  18 


138  THE    GOSPEL    RECLUSE. 

protects  the  king,  and  gives  efficiency  to  the  laws  and  the  magis- 
trate. Nations  professedly  Christian  can  draw  the  sword  upon 
one  another,  and  either  army,  as  God  shall  give  them  the  victory, 
return  to  offer  praise  in  his  sanctuary.  Could  the  heathen  know 
all  this,  how  could  they  be  persuaded  to  believe  our  religion  from 
heaven  \  What,  the  Lamb  of  God,  the  author  of  a  religion  quarrel- 
some, and  bloody,  and  pitiless. 

Nor  can  even  this  be  said  to  be  Christendom's  foulest  stain. 
There  comes  a  curse  from  Africa  upon  all  her  fields,  for  having 
carried  her  sons  into  bondage,  for  having  bred  war  in  her  bosom, 
for  having  crimsoned  the  sea  with  the  blood  of  her  children,  torn 
from  their  parents,  and  borne  like  beasts  to  the  market,  to  die  by 
plague  or  famine,  or  what  is  sometimes  considered  worse  than 
death,  to  bleed  under  the  lash  of  a  task-master  till  sufferings  and 
toil  consume  them.  If  a  few  sections  of  Christendom  have  begun 
to  wipe  off  this  blot,  it  still  is  seen  to  adhere,  like  leprosy,  and 
cries  to  heaven  for  judgments.  God  will  avenge  a  deed  that  has 
begotten  so  much  pain,  that  has  spread  so  wide,  and  has  so  long 
protracted  its  cruelties  and  its  misery. 

But  all  this  must  distress  the  good  man.  Must  he  trace  the 
very  territory  to  which  there  is  due  from  heaven  a  storm  of  wrath  1 
Must  he  walk  the  streets,  and  sleep  on  the  very  ground  where  a 
righteous  God  will  yet  avenge  iniquity  1  How  can  he  fail  to  en- 
ter into  the  views  of  the  Psalmist,  and  long  for  the  wings  of  a 
dove,  that  he  may  hasten  his  escape  from  the  windy  storm  and 
tempest. 

But  the  good  man  need  not  look  so  far  to  see  cause  of  pain. 
He  may  limit  his  view  to  his  own  country,  and  still  wish  an  asy- 
lum from  the  pollution  and  the  misery  that  lie  spread  out  before 
him.  The  men  at  the  head  of  our  government,  it  is  to  be  feared, 
are  very  few  of  them  men  of  piety.  We  hear  of  their  splendid 
balls  and  parties,  but  when  did  they  once  meet  to  unite  their 
prayers  in  behalf  of  their  country  1  A  few  of  them  may  be  at  the 
place  of  worship  on  the  Sabbath,  but  how  many  spend  that  day  in 
mirth  and  festivity  1  What  is  there  about  the  hall  of  legislation  to 
remind  a  stranger  that  its  inmates  are  the  representatives  of  a 
Christian  people,  a  people  in  the  midst  of  whom  God  is  their  glory, 
and  about  whom  he  is  a  wall  of  fire  '?  If  there  should  come  down 
upon  us  a  storm  from  heaven,  who  would  turn  his  eye  to  the  gen- 
eral government,  as  the  place  whence  there  would  ascend  the 
prayers  that  might  avert  the  calamity  1  When  men  are  selected 
to  fill  the  highest  offices  in  the  land,  who  does  not  know  that  reli- 


THE   GOSPEL   RECLUSE.  139 

gioii  constitutes  no  part  of  their  qualification  1  not  to  say  what  I 
fear  is  true,  that  religion  would  rather  tarnish  than  adorn  the  can- 
didate. We  remember  the  occasion  when  it  was  long  a  question, 
and  at  length  determined  on  the  side  opposite  to  justice  and  mer- 
cy, whether  we  would  extend  the  privilege  of  holding  men  in 
bondage,  to  territories  where  the  curse  had  not  gone.  And 
yet  we  are  a  Christian  nation,  and  profess  that  our  territory  makes 
every  man  free,  and  gives  all  equal  rights.  But  why  might  we 
break  the  bond  that  bound  us  to  our  mother  country,  and  still 
hold  our  fellow  men  bond-slaves  for  life  1  Their  right  in  us  was 
the  right  of  power — the  right  that  the  sword  gives,  not  heaven. 
And  what  other  right  has  any  in  his  slave  1 

I  remember,  too,  that  the  laws  of  the  United  States  justify  a 
disregard  of  the  Sabbath.  The  mail,  with  all  its  noise  and  reti- 
nue, may  disturb  on  its  route  every  house  of  worship,  and  carry 
its  noisy  and  profane,  and  God-provoking  influence  into  every  vil- 
lage, and  that  by  the  direct  authority  of  the  general  government, 
nd  in  contempt  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  petitioners  who  have 
preferred  their  prayers  till  they  have  no  hope  of  success. 

Thus  from  the  very  spot  whence  should  issue  none  but  the  laws 
of  piety  and  righteousness,  where  should  be  congregated  the  men 
who  would  rule  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  whence  there  should  go 
out  a  commanding  Christian  influence,  to  operate  through  all  the 
parts  of  an  extensive  and  complicated  legislation, — from  that  very 
spot  there  flow  out  streams  of  moral  putrefaction,  to  contaminate, 
as  far  as  heaven  will  permit,  the  whole  body  politic. 

Let  the  same  principles  that  are  supreme  at  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment, go  to  regulate  the  social  intercourse  of  all  our  cities  and 
villages,  and  it  is  impossible  not  to  see  that  we  should  be  a  mise- 
rable people.  If  one  chances  to  violate  the  laws  of  honor,  or  is 
conceived  to  have  erred,  he  can  wipe  away  the  reproach  only  by 
the  exposure  of  his  life.  He  must  stand  a  mark  for  the  fatal  ball, 
or  be  dubbed  a  coward,  and  lose  his  character.  Thus  when  the 
blackest  crimes  should  receive  their  punishment,  they  find  a  pat- 
tern ;  where  should  prevail  wisdom,  originates  the  most  consum- 
mate folly  ;  where  should  be  generated  the  laws  of  ki/idness,  there 
issues  a  permit  to  any  man,  who  will  do  it  honorably,  to  spill  the 
blood  of  his  neighbor  and  his  friend.  Thus  the  heart  faints  and 
sickens  when  it  should  receive  its  strongest  and  kindliest  impulse, 
and  the  good  man  turns  from  the  seat  of  the  general  government, 
as  from  a  scene  too  disgusting  to  contemplate.  Its  palaces  are 
splendid,  its  equipage  costly,  its  fare  sumptuous,  its  assemblies 


140  THE    GOSPEL    RECLUSE. 

larofe,  and  gay,  and  brilliant,  but  God  is  scarcely  acknowledged 
there,  and  there  reigns  throughout  all  its  circles,  a  lightness  and 
a  vanity  that  is  the  very  antipode  of  heaven.  And  when  we  leave 
the  spot,  and  look  upon  the  servants  of  the  general  government  in 
their  varied  dispersions,  our  disgust  is  very  little  diminished. 
We  cannot  say  that  integrity,  or  piety,  or  wisdom,  has  received 
very  largely  the  honors  or  the  emoluments  of  the  general  govern- 
ment. There  has  not  prevailed  a  disposition  to  employ  those  ser- 
vants, that  we  should  employ  to  administer  upon  our  estates,  or 
that  we  would  wish  might  be  the  guardians  of  our  children.  There 
have  been,  I  know,  some  good  men  in  the  general  government, 
and  they  have  employed  some  servants  and  ministers,  who  have 
acted  in  the  fear  of  God,  but  the  mass,  I  believe,  it  will  not  be 
denied,  have  not  been  governed  by  the  fear  of  God.  And  still 
they  are  the  men  of  our  choice,  and  this  is  the  most  painful  thought, 
for  the  sin  lies  at  our  own  door.  We  rise  from  our  knees,  and 
hand  in  our  suffrage  for  the  man  who  never  prays,  and  would  con- 
sider himself  insulted,  if  one  should  urge  him  to  the  duty.  Thus 
the  o-ood  man  is  disgusted,  and  wishes  to  soar  away  and  be  at  rest. 

And  as  we  pass  down  through  all  the  subordinate  branches  of 
civil  government,  our  prospect  is  not  very  greatly  cheered.  En- 
mity to  God  and  his  kingdom  is  not  considered  a  disqualification 
for  managing  the  best  interests  of  civil  society.  The  men  that 
hate  the  Law  of  God,  profane  his  name,  and  will  not  keep  his  sab- 
baths, nor  honor  his  sanctuary  ; — it  is  confessed  we  do  not  con- 
sider the  interests  of  a  Christian  community  very  safe  in  their 
hands. 

Is  it  asked  whether  we  would  make  piety  the  test  of  office,  we 
answer,  no.  But  we  would  have  other  qualifications.  We  would 
have  every  man  in  office  fear  an  oath,  and  not  deliberately  swear 
to  do  a  duty  which  he  has  already  resolved  not  to  do.  We  would 
have  him  a  man  whose  conscience  is  enlightened  by  the  testimony 
of  God.  We  would,  that  he  regarded  the  Sabbath,  and  would  not 
converse  profanely,  would  be  the  friend  of  morality,  and  science, 
and  religion.  We  would  not  have  him  intemperate,  nor  impure, 
nor  infidel.  We  would  have  him  respect  the  name  of  God,  and 
the  people  of  God,  and  all  the  institutions  of  religion.  Less  than 
this  in  the  men  of  office  ought  not  to  satisfy  a  Christian  community. 

But  as  the  good  man  surveys  the  civil  government,  how  little 
of  all  this  does  he  sometimes  discover  in  the  men  of  office.  They 
are  often  the  patterns  of  vice,  and  often  more  yet  its  patrons. 
Thev  will  swear  themselves  into   office,  by  pledges  they  never 


THE    GOSPEL    RECLUSE.  141 

afterward  think  of,  and  which,  at  the  time  of  the  oath,  they  mean 
not  to  redeem.  They  are  often  found  the  enemies  of  the  Church, 
and  of  the  truth,  of  the  Sabbath,  of  the  sanctuary,  of  revivals  of 
religion,  and  the  whole  code  of  Christian  morality.  Hence  how 
long-  have  good  men  petitioned  and  prayed,  till  they  have  quit 
praying,  that  such  amendments  may  be  made  in  the  laws  tSiat 
guard  the  morals  of  the  community,  as  to  secure  their  execution, 
but  all  to  no  purpose. 

Now,  in  view  of  all  this,  how  can  the  good  man  fail  to  wish 
that  he  may  live  in  a  better  community,  and  be  governed  by  men 
that  have  a  conscience,  and  act  in  the  fear  of  God  \  How  can  it 
please  him  to  commit  the  temporal,  and,  to  a  great  extent,  the 
immortal  interests  of  his  offspring,  to  the  rule  and  the  authority 
of  men  who  have  no  impressive  sense  of  their  future  accointa- 
bility.  A  lod'ie  in  the  desert,  where  nature  only  can  be  seen  to  rule 
by  the  fixed  laws  of  God,  and  vice  is  banished,  offers  him  an  asy- 
lum that  has  many  charms  above  the  partial  misrule  of  unsanclified 
authority. 

When  the  good  man  takes  a  view  of  the  churches,  he  has  still 
occasion  for  pain.  He  sees  often  a  lackness  of  discipline,  that 
tarnishes  their  beautj"-,  weakens  their  strength,  mars  their  fellow- 
ship, and  greatly  retards  their  usefulness.  Men  of  ungodly  life 
are  suffered  to  eat  the  children's  bread;  men  of  profaneness,  in 
temperance,  and  debauchery  ;  men  who  neither  pray  nor  repent, 
but  cast  their  whole  weight  into  the  scale  of  error  and  irreligion. 
So  slow  is  the  work  of  discipline  in  many  churches,  that  men  are 
constantly  dying  in  their  communion,  who  have  been  notoriously 
iingodly  for  years;  and  of  whose  piely  there  never  was  indulged  a 
hope.  There  are  among  the  professed  people  of  God  contentions, 
backbiting,  envy,  and  wrath.  They  sit  down  together  at  the  table 
of  the  Lord,  and  covenant  to  love  one  another,  but  their  vow  dc^es 
not  bind  them.  They  can  exhibit  toward  each  other  every  un- 
kindness  witnessed  Jimong  the  men  of  the  world.  Now  who 
would  not  desire  a  better  world  than  this  1  Who,  that  dares  to  be 
alone,  would  not  covet  a  lodge  in  some  vast  wilderness,  that  his 
ryes  might  not  see  a  world  which  the  Lord  Jesus  built  for  him- 
self, so  polluted  and  destroyed  \  Who  would  not  wish  to  belong 
to  a  better  community,  to  be  conversant  with  wiser  men,  to  enjoy 
a  more  kind  and  friendly  society,  and  have  fellowship  with  a  more 
pure  and  godly  brotherhood  1  "0  that  I  had  wings,  like  a  dove, 
then  would  I  fly  away  and  be  at  rest." 

We  have  noticed  what  occasion  the  good  man  has  to  utter  the 


142  THE    GOSPEL    RECLUSE. 

sentiment  of  the  text,  when  he  takes  some  of  the  more  extended 
views  of  the  objects  around  him.  And  we  shall  find  that  his  dis- 
gust continues  when  he  narrows  the  rule  down  to  himself. 

If  he  casts  his  eye  over  the  town  in  which  he  dwells,  he  can 
seldom  fail  to  see  what  must  disgust  a  heavenly  mind.  The  varied 
shades  of  political  and  religious  sentiment,  the  party  feelings,  the 
jarring  interests,  the  prejudices  and  the  quarrels,  are  calculated  to 
render  one  very  sick  of  human  life,  and  if  they  beget  not  the  wish 
to  quit  the  world,  will  render  endeared  the  scenes  of  retirement 
and  meditation.  There  is  too  little  seen  that  deserves  the  name 
of  friendship.  Between  very  few  is  there  a  compact  so  firm,  that 
the  most  trifling  affair  of  interest  will  not  sunder  the  fellowship, 
and  create  envy  and  strile.  Every  public  measure,  though  the 
most  useful  and  nec^sary,  must  have  sonie  to  oppose  it,  by  which 
it  becomes  almost  impossible  to  promote  our  own  convenience  and 
comfort.  How  often,  in  many  parts  of  Christendom,  has  the  lo- 
cation of  the  sanctuary,  or  a  school-house,  or  public  road,  riven 
and  ruined  a  pleasant  and  flourishing  town.  Men  have  made  sac- 
rifices to  gratify  their  will,  which  if  made  for  the  general  good, 
would  have  cradled  controversy  to  sleep  in  an  hour. 

Why  must  there  be  men  in  every  little  circle,  who  can  be  pleased 
with  nothing  that  pleases  others  1  Why  must  we  calculate  that 
every  good  measure  will  make  some  one  angry  \  This  might 
easily  be  made  a  happy  world,  if  a  very  few  would  calculate  to  let 
the  general  voice  govern  them.  And  how  does  it  happen  that  men 
do  not  suspect  themselves  in  tli  ■  wrong,  when  they  are  for  ever  on 
the  list  of  opposition,  when  their  attitude  is  that  of  hostility  when- 
ever they  act  with  other  men  in  public  measures  1  The  little  pas- 
sions of  childhood  are  carried  with  some  men  into  their  maturer 
years.  They  make  themselves  offended  at  some  measure,  and 
can  then  no  more  be  reasoned  with  than  you  could  reason  with  a 
tempest.  To  try  to  please  them  but  increases  the  spleen  that  con- 
trols them.  "I  have  piped  unto  you,  and  ye  have  not  danced,  I 
have  mourned  unto  you  but  ye  have  not  lamented." 

Thus  all  measures  that  regard  the  general  good  are  more  or  less 
defeated,  except  when  public  good  yo!;es  itself  with  private  inter- 
est, while  a  spirit  of  condescension  would  render  this  a  pleasant 
world.  Now  the  good  man,  if  his  mind  be  at  all  enlarged,  must 
turn  fi-om  all  this  with  disgust,  and  must  sometimes  feel  ashamed 
that  he  belongs  to  a  community  so  degenerate. 

If  he  casts  his  eye  into  the  domestic  circle,  where  it  would 
seem  we   might  look  for  happiness  if  any  where  in  this  desert, 


THE    GOSPEL   RECLUSE.  143 

there  is  there  but  little  to  cheer  his  soul.  The  marriage  contract 
is  so  often  not  the  result  of  affection,  but  convenience,  that  har- 
mony in  many  cases  is  not  to  be  expected.  The  husband  and  the 
wife  have  distinct  interests,  and  a  distinct  character,  and  hope,  and 
purpose.  The  kind  attentions  that  nourish  domestic  joy,  are  put 
off  with  the  marriage  robes,  and  the  result  is  not  that  sweetness 
which  love  produces,  but  a  scene  of  jarring  and  noise,  or  at  best, 
the  attitude  of  mere  forbearance.  Hence,  as  we  should  expect, 
there  goes  down  through  the  children  the  same  spirit  of  selfish- 
ness and  discord  that  reigns  in  the  hearts  of  the  parents.  Thus 
where  should  be  cradled  every  virtue,  where  should  be  nursed  the 
kindest  endearments,  where  our  country  and  the  Church  of  Christ 
should  rest  their  hopes,  there  is  sometimes  found  the  embryo  of 
all  public  litigation,  and  strife,  and  confusion.  The  seeds  thus 
sown  ia  the  domestic  circle  are  nourished  in  the  schools,  and  thus 
are  early  matured  for  operation,  all  the  principles  of  depravity 
that  go  to  wither  all  that  is  flourishing,  and  deform  all  that  is  fair, 
and  blight  all  that  is  promising  in  this  ill-fated  world. 

When  the  good  man  contemplates  the  Cliristian  character,  not 
as  presented  in  the  word  of  God,  but  as  exhibited  in  actual  life 
around  him,  he  still  has  before  him  a  picture  that  fills  him  with 
disgust  and  with  tears.  The  very  men  who  are  bound  for  heaven 
have  cai'ried  into  their  religion  so  much  of  worldly  maxim  and  of 
human  passion,  as  to  put  a  blast  upon  the  only  fertile  spots  that 
stud  this  desert  world. 

One  believer  has  about  him  all  that  is  gay,  and  vain,  and  trifling, 
in  the  higher  circles  of  the  ungodly,  with  scarcely  difl^erence 
enough  to  beget  the  hope  that  he  is  born  of  God.  He  breathes 
an  atmosphere  where  the  humble,  and  retiring,  and  self-condemn- 
ing spirit  of  the  gospel  is  very  much  a  stranger.  Another  has 
carried  into  his  religion  the  coarseness  and  the  vulgarity  that  bet- 
ter comports  \vith  sin  than  piety  ;  and  would  hardly  seem  consist- 
ent with  the  benevolence  of  the  gospel.  Another  would  seem  too 
dull  and  stupid  to  have  partaken  of  that  Spirit  which,  as  a  well  of 
water,  is  represented  as  springing  up  into  everlasting  life.  One 
has  rather  tlie  rashness  of  a  heaven-daring  sinner,  than  the  gentle- 
ness of  the  lamb  ;  while  another  has  carried  his  maxims  of  pru- 
dence to  a  pitch  that  forbids  the  discharge  of  any  duty  which  the 
most  ungodly  do  not  approve.  We  see  one  who  is  too  willing  to 
shrink  from  every  public  duty,  who  will  hide  in  a  corner,  that  he 
may  not  be  called  upon  to  pray  ;  while  another  has  no  enjoyment 
but  as  he  may  go  forward  and  be  conspicuous   in  every  measure 


144  THE    GOSPEL    RECLUSE. 

of  piety;  has  more  enjoyment  when  he  may  teach  than  when  he 
must  learn,  when  he  may  lead  in  the  prayer  than  when  he  must 
join  with  his  brother.  One  believer  so  neglects  his  worldly  con- 
cerns, as  to  come  under  the  censure  of  not  providing  for  his  own, 
and  especially  those  of  his  own  house,  while  another  suffers  him- 
self to  be  pressed  with  the  cares  of  the  life  that  now  is,  to  an  ex- 
tent that  seems  hardly  to  comport  with  the  exercise  of  a  heavenly 
mind.  When  once  we  meet  with  the  Christian  character  in  all 
its  native  loveliness,  meek,  humble,  watchful,  prayerful,  heavenly- 
minded,  prompt  in  the  discharge  of  every  duty,  but  willing  to  be 
unnoticed  and  unknown  ;  diligent  in  business,  fervent  in  spirit, 
serving  the  Lord — when  once  we  see  it  thus  clothed  in  all  the  at- 
tributes which  it  must  wear  in  heaven,  we  meet  with  it  often  so  de- 
formed as  hardly  to  recognise  in  its  countenance  the  features  of 
the  heavenly  family.  With  these  deformed  beings  the  believer 
must  mingle  ;  must  come  into  close  and  friendly  alliance  ;  to  them 
must  be  bound  in  everlasting  covenant  ;  and  from  their  number, 
deformed  as  they  are,  must  select  the  best  associates  he  shall  find 
till  he  reaches  heaven,  flence,  why  be  surprised  if  the  wish  es- 
capes him  thf:t  he  could  fly  away  and  be  at  rest,  could  go  .and 
mingle  with  the  general  assembly  of  the  Church  of  the  first-born, 
whose  names  are  written  in  heaven,  and  enjoy  there  the  society 
of  those  who  have  put  off  the  body  of  sin  and  death,  and  are  clothed 
upon  with  their  house  from  heaven. 

But  when  all  this  is  said,  there  still  is  no  object  in  all  this  pol- 
luted, and  dirsloyal,  and  miserable  world,  with  which  he  is  so  much 
disgusted  as  uith  himself.  V\  hen  the  circle  of  his  contemplations 
is  contracted  till  it  embraces  nothing  but  his  own  deformed,  and 
polluted,  and  wretched  heart,  then  does  he  put  forth  his  most  ar- 
dent wish,  and  prefer  his  warmest  prayer,  that  he  may  be  permitted 
to  fly  away  and  be. at  rest.  There  is  no  object  that  disgusts  him 
so  much,  for  in  no  other  case  is  pollution  so  nigh  him,  or  so  dis- 
tinctly seen.  It  often  seems  to  iiim  impossible  that  his  heart 
should  have  been  renewed,  and  he  be  still  so  depraved.  He  is 
conscious  of  putting  forth  at  times  every  depraved  and  base  affec- 
tion. He  finds  himself  giving  to  created  objects  the  regard  due 
only  to  God.  Every  comfort  Jehovah  gives  is  liable  to  be  erected 
into  an  idol,  and  loved  with  supreme  attachment.  He  often  finds 
himself  disinclined  to  obey  the  law  of  God,  esteeming  his  com- 
mandments grievous.  He  receives  without  due  gratitude  the 
bodnlies  of  heaven,  or  blesses  only  his  own  wisdom  and  prudence 
for  the  benefits  which  God  bestows.     When  he  has  sinned,  he 


THE    GOSPEL    RECLUSE. 


145i 


finds  his  heart  hard  and  impenitent.  If  he  has  any  glimpse  of 
God,  or  of  heaven,  and  attempts  to  rise  to  some  tone  of  higher 
devotion,  he  finds  his  wretched  heart  attracted  back  by  some  ob- 
ject of  sense,  and  coveting  his  ease  and  his  indulgences.  I  have 
put  off  my  coat,  how  shall  I  put  it  on  l  I  have  washed  my  feet, 
how  shall  I  defile  them  1  To  obey  his  Redeemer  requires  of  him 
a  self-denial  and  an  enterprise  for  which  his  heart  is  not  prepared. 
He  knows  he  has  fallen,  but  cannot  put  forth  the  eflx>rt  necessary 
for  his  recovery  ;  and  still  does  not  hope  to  be  happy  till  that  ef- 
fort is  put  forth. 

And  if  the  Spirit  of  God  revives  him,  and  this  poor  world  is, 
for  a  time,  blotted  out ;  and  he  covenants  anew  with  God,  to  walk 
in  his  ways,  and  do  his  commandments  ;  still,  in  the  midst  of  such 
mercy,  compared  with  which,  no  blessing  ever  enjoyed  on  earth 
is  equal,  he  sees  some  object  that  lures  him  away  from  God,  and 
he  follows  it,  and  is  plimged  again  into  darkness  and  distress.  In 
no  other  case,  perhaps,  does  he  commit  a  greater  crime,  or  do 
himself  a  greater  injury,  or  imitate  more  closely  the  deeds  done 
in  heaven  by  the  fallen  spirits.  When  God  lets  down  so  much  of 
heaven  into  the  soul,  and  permits  his  people  for  a  week  or  a 
month  to  gaze  upon  his  glories,  it  is  no  light  thing  to  provoke  him  to 
eclipse  the  view.  But  the  child  of  God  who  has  ever  been  happy 
with  the  light  of  God's  countenance,  and  is  not  happy  now,  must 
lie  down  under  the  conviction  that  he  has  done  this  very  deed.  God 
will  never  forsake  us,  till  we  forsake  him.  If  he  has  caused  his 
glory  to  shine  upon  us,  he  will  never  darken  the  view  till  our  at- 
tention is  divided  between  him  and  some  created  object  with 
which  he  abhors  to  have  his  glory  associated.  The  child  of  God 
thus  laments  when  the  vision  is  gone,  in  the  pensive  language  of 
the  poet : 

«  Triflps  of  nature  or  of  art ; 

With  fair  deceitful  charms, 
Intrude  into  my  thoughtless  heart, 

And  thrust  me  from  thy  arms. 

When  I  repent  and  vex  my  soul, 

I'hat  I  should  leave  thee  so ; 
Where  will  those  wild  affections  roll, 

That  let  a  Savior  go  ?" 

In  every  duty  to  God  he  finds  himself  coming  short  of  his  glory. 
He  is  ashamed  of  his  prayers,  his  songs,  and  his  sacrifices.  Self- 
ishness, pride,  or  ambition  mingle  at  last  with  all  his  better  mo- 

VOL.  II.  ^9 


146  THE    GOSPEL    RECLUSE. 

tives,  and  mar  every  duty.     "  The  very  songs  I  frame,"  says  the 
same  poet,  "  are  faithless  to  thy  cause, 

"  And  steal  tlie  honors  of  thy  name, 
To  build  my  own  applause." 

If  God  makes  him  useful  he  claims  some  of  the  honor,  and  if  he 
does  any  noble  deed  he  expects  his  reward.  He  finds  himself 
loving  too  ardently  the  things  of  time  and  sense,  has  too  many 
cares  and  too  many  ties  that  are  earthly  and  sensual,  that  assimi- 
late him  to  the  beasts  that  perish.  He  could  not  name,  should  he 
attempt  it,  the  Christian  grace  that  thrives  in  his  heart  as  he 
could  wish.  He  lacks  the  humility  that  becomes  a  sinner,  the 
patience  and  the  meekness  that  befit  a  daily  offender,  the  repent- 
ance that  God  demands,  and  the  faith  which  should  purify  his  heart 
and  work  by  love.  His  love  to  God  does  not  measure  itself  by  the 
attributes  to  be  adored,  and  his  esteem  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
falls  infinitely  below  his  character.  His  benevolence  is  partial  and 
limited,  and  shamefully  inoperative.  His  regard  to  the  gospel  is 
measured  and  cold  compared  with  the  interest  he  has  in  it,  and  the 
faith  he  has  professed,  and  the  hopes  he  founds  on  it,  and  the 
beauty  he  thinks  he  has  once  seen  in  it.  When  he  casts  his  eye 
upon  an  impenitent  world  he  views  their  pollutions  with  too  little 
disgust,  their  danger  with  too  small  emotions,  and  their  approach 
ing  desliny  with  too  little  alarm.  He  carries  haste  to  his  closet, 
and  formality  to  the  family  altar,  and  dulness  to  the  sanctuary, 
and  coldness  to  the  communion,  and  unbelief  to  the  Bible,  and 
guilt,  and  shame,  and  apprehension  to  the  chamber  of  meditation. 
The  amount  of  the  whole  is  a  conscientiousness  that  bis  attention 
and  his  affections  are  divided  between  God  and  the  world,  between 
earth  and  heaven.  In  no  one  point  does  he  come  up  to  his  own 
standard.  His  language  is  unclerin  !  unclean  !  0  wretched  man 
that  I  am  ;  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  \ 

Aad  when  the  believer  contemplates  the  dulness  and  darkness 
of  his  own  mind  he  is  far  enough  from  being  pleased  with  himself. 
His  dulness  often  renders  it  a  task  to  think,  and  his  darkness  ren- 
ders every  view  he  ta'<es  confused  and  indefinite.  And  he  knows 
that  the  whole  is  his  crime.  He  could  easily  have  been  more  in- 
tellectual in  his  character,  had  he  not  debased  himself  by  his  sins, 
had  he  not  limited  his  powers  of  thought  and  reflection  by  too  ex- 
clusive an  attachment,  and  attention  too  exclusive  to  small  and 
mean  objects.  Hence  when  he  would  contemplate  the  character 
of  God  it  is  not  easy  and  natural  for  him   to  soar  away  and  dwell 


THE   GOSPEL   KECLUSE.  147 

on  the  Divine  attributes.  Some  little  object,  awakening  a 
little  thought,  and  demanding  no  effort,  calls  him  back  to  the  crea- 
tion, and  God  passes  out  of  his  mind.  As  soon  might  the  domes- 
tic fowl  join  himself  to  the  bird  of  passage,  and  with  untired  winor 
light  in  some  foreign  territory,  as  his  mind  sustain  any  prolonged 
interview  with  the  great  objects  of  faith.  Hence  he  seldom  mounts 
and  quickly  tires.  The  meditation  necessary  for  the  application 
of  truth  to  his  own  sanctification  is  often  a  weariness.  His  mind 
has  been  weakened  by  its  mean  employment,  by  its  neglect  of 
thought,  for  the  enterprise  to  which  piety  would  summon  it,  till 
almost  does  it  need  regenerating  as  does  the  heart.  It  often  seems 
to  him  impossible  that  with  such  a  mind  as  his  he  can  ever  be  the 
associate  of  angels,  and  think  without  tiring  as  they  do.  The 
great  truths  of  revelation  are  above  him,  and  the  bible  a  dark  book 
to  him.  Thus  he  is  about  as  much  dissatisfied  with  his  intellect 
as  with  his  heart.  He  wonders  at  the  clemency  of  God,  that  it 
should  ever  have  entered  into  his  heart  to  fit  him  for  heaven,  and  that 
he  does  not  abandon  his  purpose  of  making  him  an  angel.  When 
he  believes  it  possible  that  he  can  ever  be  made  capable  of  sub- 
lime conceptions,  and  soar  awny  to  hold  untiring  communion  with 
his  Maker,  then  he  utters  himself  in  the  language  of  the  text,  "0 
that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove,  then  would  I  fly  away  and  be  at  rest." 

Hence  his  very  great  dissatisfaction  with  his  own  conduct.  His 
settled  purpose  is  to  walk  uprightly.  He  would  do  good,  but 
evil  is  present  with  him.  He  finds  a  law  in  his  members  warring 
against  the  law  of  his  mind.  Hence  bis  retrospect  of  life  is  uni- 
formly forbidding.  Duty  has  been  neglected  ;  and  when  done^  done 
in  so  poor  a  manner  as  not  to  deserve  the  name.  And  every  little 
section  of  life  has  been  polluted  with  something  that  should  have 
been  left  undone;  some  wrong  affection  that  should  not  have  been 
exercised,  some  wrong  passion  that  should  not  have  been  indulg- 
ed, some  wrong  corruptions  that  should  not  have  been  conceived, 
some  wrong  hopes  that  should  not  have  been  embraced,  some 
wrong  apprehensions  that  should  have  been  spurned,  and  many 
wrong  deeds  that  should  never  have  been  committed.  Hence  find 
we  the  bitterest  foe  the  Ciiristian  has,  and  let  him  exhaust  his  elo- 
quence in  berating  him,  and  belittling  him,  and  belyino-  him,  and 
when  all  is  done,  although  he  will  be  accused  wrongfully,  he  will 
not  have  been  rendered  more  degraded  than  he  is  degraded  in  his 
own  view,  nor  be  oxliibitcd  as  more  unworthy  of  heaven  than  he 
esteems  himself. 

Hence  the  good  man  feels  that  he  has  all  the  character  he  de- 


148  THE    GOSPEL    RECLUSE. 

serves.  He  has  done  so  much  to  insult  and  abuse  infinite  purity, 
has  stained  his  moral  reputation  with  affections  and  deeds  so  at 
war  with  truth,  and  holiness,  and  righteousness,  that  he  wonders 
if  it  be  possible  that  heaven  should  ever  respect  him,  and  angels 
honor  him,  and  the  redeemed  associate  with  him.  Thus  the  be- 
liever is  more  disgusted  with  himself  than  with  any  other  object 
in  all  the  creation  of  God,  would  quit  if  he  might  his  contact  with 
nuiral  corruption,  would  fly  away  and  be  at  rest. 

Finally,  it  is  to  the  believer  a  source   of  grief  and  pain  that  he  • 
must  meet  with  opposition  in  every  effort   he   makes  to  meliorate 
the   condition   of   his   fellow-men.      He   sees  the   whole   creation 
groaning  and  travailing  in  pain   to  be   delivered  from  its  bondage 
to  sin,  and  yet  unwilling  to  cast  off  its  yoke. 

Men  are  ignorant,  and  yet  unwilling  to  be  enlightened.  What 
they  know  not  is  precisely  that  which  th?y  wish  not  to  know,  and 
thdr  reluctance  to  learn,  not  the  want  of  light,  is  the  grand  cause 
of  their  ignorance.  As  to  God,  they  wish  not  to  retain  him  in 
their  knowledge.  They  are  content  not  to  be  acquainted  with  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  because  they  will  not  have  him  to  re  gn  over 
them.  The  distinguishing  doctrines  of  the  Bible  only  distress 
them,  exhibit  their  depravity,  their  dependence,  their  danger,  their 
demerit,  and  their  destiny.  Hence  they  are  willingly  ignorant. 
They  love  darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  are 
evil.  They  hate  the  light,  and  will  not  come  to  the  light,  lest  their 
deeds  should  be  reproved.  Hence  every  effort  of  the  good  man 
to  remove  the  thing  that  pains  him,  to  cure  the  wound  that  rankles 
before  his  eve  and  affects  his  heart,  meets  a  repulse  that  distresses 
him.  His  kindness  is  nicknamed  impudence,  his  tears  are  pro- 
nounced hypocritical,  and  his  motives  selfish.  He  must  go  into 
the  wilderness  and  be  a  hermit,  or  see  a  whole  world  covered  with 
the  shndow  of  death  and  not  weep  for  it,  or  contend  for  the  truth, 
and  carry  in  one  hand  the  sword  for  his  own  defence,  and  with  the 
other  build  the  ruins  of  Jerusalem. 

Men  have  a  misgfiided  conscience,  and  wish  not  to  be  put  right. 
While  they  may  act  conscientiously,  they  feel  secure,  and  hope  to 
be  forgiven  if  they  err.  The  kings  of  Judah  and  Israel  would  have 
the  prophets  prophecy  smooth  things,  true  or  false.  Men  would 
hope  that  their  course  leads  to  heaven,  if  it  terminate  in  perdition: 
and  you  offend  them  if  you  rudely  tear  this  hope  from  them.  So, 
many  species  of  game,  when  pressed  in  the  chase,  are  said  to  hide 
their  heads  in  the  snow,  and  dream  not  but  that  they  are  quite 
secure  from  the  huntsman  till  the  fatal  moment  when  they  are 


THE    GOSPEL    RECLUSE.  «14!9 

taken  and  slain.  Nothing  is  more  offensive  to  the  ungodly  than 
your  efforts  to  convince  them  that  they  are  unsafe.  "  There  is  a 
way  that  seemeth  right  unto  a  man,  but  the  end  thereof  are  the 
ways  of  death."  But  if  they  may  approach  that  death,  and  not 
see  it,  if  j'ou  will  suffer  them  to  dream  on,  and  not  awake  them  to 
the  reality  that  it  is  a  dream,  they  will  be  your  debtors.  But  tell 
them  of  another  God  than  him  they  worship,  of  another  Savior 
than  him  they  trust  in,  another  gospel  than  that  which  they  have 
believed,  another  hope  than  that  which  ihey  have  leaned  upon, 
and  another  heaven  than  that  which  they  have  expected,  and  be 
your  creed  the  truth,  or  theirs^  they  are  outraged.  "  A  little  more 
sleep,  a  little  more  slumber,  a  little  more  folding  of  the  hands  to 
sleep  :  so  shall  poverty  come  as  one  that  traveleth,  and  thy  want 
as  an  armed  man."  They  wish  not  to  have  their  old  foundations 
torn  up.  They  wish  not  to  begin  in  their  advanced  years  to  learn 
another  gospel.  They  are  quite  satisfied  that  they  are  on  the  way 
to  heaven — yours  may  conduct  to  the  same  destiny,  but  they  can- 
not now  retreat.  "  We  have  loved  idols,  and  after  them  we  will 
go."  "  Our  fathers  worshiped  in  this  mountain,  and  ye  say  that 
in  Jerusalem  is  the  place  where  men  ought  to  worship."  Thus 
the  good  man,  in  attempting  to  cure  the  plagues  around  him,  rolls 
up  a  steep  acclivity  a  ponderous  rock,  that  but  rolls  upon  him,  and 
consumes  his  strength  and  his  spirits. 

Men  have  polluted  hearts,  but  they  are  unwilling  either  to  know 
that  they  are  polluted,  or  to  have  them  cleansed.  They  are  whole, 
and  see  no  need  of  a  physician,  and  know  not  that  they  are  poor, 
and  miserable,  and  blind,  and  naked.  Tell  them  of  a  fountain 
where  they  can  wash  and  be  clean,  and  they  will  either  deny  their 
need  of  cleansing,  or,  like  him  of  Syria,  they  will  inquire,  "Are 
not  Abana  and  Pharpar,  rivers  of  Damascus,  better  than  all  the 
waters  of  Israel^,  why  may  I  not  wash  in  them  and  be  clean'?" 
Or  they  will  use  the  ancient  proverb  of  Nazareth,  ''  Physician,  heal 
thyself."  So  the  maniac  believes  himself  the  only  man  in  the 
community  who  can  reason,  and  supposes  himself  surrounded  with 
madmen.  Men  do  not  thank  you  for  discovering  their  unrighteous- 
ness, and  consider  your  pity  and  your  tears  but  weakness.  It  but 
mortifies  them  that  you  should  presume  to  doubt  but  that  their 
mountain  stands  strong.  "  I  shall  hav©  peace,  though  I  walk  in 
the  imagination  of  my  own  heart,  to  add  drunkenness  to  thirst." 
O,  how  can  the  good  man  not  weep,  to  see  every  plague  that 
preys  upon  an  ungodly  world  incurable,  and  find  all  his  kindness 
suspected,  and  all  his  benevolence  repulsed  1    The  prophet  uttered 


150  THE    GOSPEL    RECLUSE. 

himself  like  a  man  of  God,  when  he  said,  "  0  that  my  head  were 
waters,  and  mine  eyes  a  fountain  of  tears,  that  1  might  weep  day 
and  night  for  the  slain  of  the  daughter  of  my  people." 

Men  have  polluted  their  morals,  and  are  not  willing  to  know 
that  the  course  they  pursue  renders  them  unhappy.  Their  wars, 
their  litigations,  their  backbitings,  their  pride,  and  envy,  and  am- 
bition, and  avarice,  are  but  so  many  instruments  of  mutual  slaugh- 
ter. If  men  were  content  to  let  others  have  the  life  God  has 
given  them,  and  the  wealth  they  have  accumulated,  and  the  in- 
fluence they  have  acquired,  how  happy  this  world  might  be.  Then 
every  man  would  hold  the  place  that  his  talents  give  him,  and  that 
his  Maker  gives  him,  and  each  would  scatter  blessings  on  all 
around  him.  Moses  might  not  reprove  his  brethren,  when  they 
strove  together.  The  one  that  did  the  wrong  repulsed  his  kind- 
ness, and  he  had  to  flee  for  his  life.  You  cannot  commit  a  greater 
sin,  in  the  world's  esteem,  than  to  persuade  men  that  they  would 
do  well  to  love  one  another.  And  if  you  urge  them  to  be  kind  to 
themselves,  you  have  no  thanks.  Tell  the  profane  man  that  his 
vulgarity  hurts  his  reputation  ;  tell  the  drunkard  that  his  cups  will 
devour  him  ;  tell  the  adulterer  that  his  steps  take  hold  on  hell,  and 
lead  down  to  the  chambers  of  death  ;  tell  the  Sabbath-breaker  that 
God  will  not  have  his  institutions  trifled  with,  and  you  but  utter 
your  charms  in  the  ear  of  the  deaf  adder.  Tell  men  to  save  them- 
selves from  this  untoward  generation,  and  will  they  rave  or  thank 
you  ?  Ah,  the  experiment  has  been  too  often  made  to  allow  a 
doubt  to  remain,  but  that  the  man  of  God  will  be  abused  so  much 
the  more,  by  how  much  he  is  faithful  in  attempting  to  cure  the 
plagues  he  laments.  Hence,  why  wonder  that  the  wish  often 
escapes  him,  "  0,  that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove,  then  would  I  fly 
away,  and  be  at  rest." 

REMARKS. 

1.  While  such  may  lawfully  be  the  sentiments  of  the  good  man, 
we  may  not  suppose  him  at  liberty  to  quit  the  post  of  duty.  If  the 
world,  or  if  his  country,  or  commonwealth,  or  the  Church,  does  not 
please  him,  it  is  his  duty  to  make  every  possible  effort  to  render 
them  better.  It  may  seem  impossible  that  we  should  do  any  good 
when  so  much  needs  to  be  done.  But  if  every  man  will  exert  the 
powers  God  has  given  him,  he  will  be  accepted.  And  moreover, 
if  every  good  man  will  render  one  little  spot  verdant,  the  gloomy 
picture  we   have   contemplatr^d   will   soon  become  brighter.     Let 


THE    GOSPEL    RECLUSE.  151 

every  child  of  God  be  what  he  should  be,  and  one  of  the  gloomiest 
shades  in  the  picture  is  gone. 

2.  The  subject  is  calculated  to  endear  the  scenes  of  the  closet. 
If  all  without  is  dark,  then  have  we  the  more  occasion  to  be  alone 
with  God.  "  Come,  my  people,  enter  thou  into  thy  chambers,  and 
shut  thy  doors  about  thee  :  hide  thyself  as  it  were  for  a  little  mo- 
ment, until  the  indignation  be  overpast."  In  the  closet  there  is 
light,  be  every  other  part  of  this  world  shrouded  in  impenetrable 
darkness. 

3.  The  subject  is  calculated  to  turn  our  eyes  to  heaven.  There 
is  a  retreat  provided  for  the  good  man,  where  storms  and  darkness 
never  come.  When  a  few  more  dark  days  have  hurried  over  him, 
he  will  be  furnished  with  angels'  wings,  and  will  soar  away  to  a 
place  of  rest. 

Hence  let  there  be  no  impatience.  Heaven  will  be  the  more  wel- 
come, and  the  more  pleasant  for  what  we  here  endure. 


SERMON  LIV. 
THE  EVENING  OF  LIFE  SORROWFUL. 

PSALM    XC.    10. 
The  days  of  our  yenrs  are  three  score  years  and  ten  :  and  if  by  reason  of  strengtl)  they  be  four 
score  years,  yet  is  their  strength  labor  and  sorrow  :  for  it  is  scon  cut  off,  aiid  we  fly  away. 

To  those  who  do  not  credit  the  history  of  the  Apostacy,  and 
who  still  believe  that  there  is  one  God,  and  that  he  is  good,  there 
must  be  something-  mysterious  in  the  history  of  man.  Why  his 
days  so  few,  and  why  those  few  so  filled  with  sorrow  1  Why  so 
protracted,  and  helpless,  and  feeble,  the  years  of  his  childhood  ] 
Why  his  members  so  slow  to  do  their  office,  and  why  the  faculties 
of  the  mind  so  tardy  in  their  development  1 

Why  do  so  few  arrive  at  any  thing  like  what  may  be  termed  the 
perfection  of  their  nature,  while  the  great  mass  of  the  human  race 
never  put  forth  any  effort  of  thought  that  very  highly  distinguish- 
es them  from  the  beasts  that  perish  1  They  reach  the  common 
stature  and  acquire  the  agility  and  the  strength  of  manhood,  with- 
out their  own  care  or  choice,  but  the  mind,  untaught  and  undisci- 
plined, remains  almost  in  its  state  of  infancy,  till  the  body  has 
reached  its  perfection  and  commenced  its  decay. 

Thus  there  begins  a  second  childhood,  at  the  remove  of  but  a 
few  years  from  where  the  first  was  terminated.  The  man  is  seen 
to  stand,  for  a  moment,  a  being  capable  of  some  small  degree  of 
effort,  and  is  then,  while  yet  we  have  hardly  known  him,  merged 
again  into  all  the  helplessness  of  a  second  humility.  The  body, 
it  is  true,  retains  its  stature,  but  every  limb  is  palsied,  and  every 
organ  powerless.  The  mind  sinks  with  the  body,  and  seems  at 
length  on  the  point  of  being  extinguished  with  it.  But  that  the 
book  of  God  has  taught  us  otherwise,  it  would  hardly  be  a  sin  to 
doubt  whether  the  mind  were  not  material  like  the  body,  and  des- 
tined to  perish  at  that  juncture  when  the  body  begins  to  moulder. 

Now  why,  says  the  infidel,  would  a  good  being  give  to  any  of 
his  creatures,  and  especially  to  man,  the  noblest  of  the  whole,  an 
existence  so  immature,  so  transitory,  and  so  miserable!  Nor  can 
he  ever  gain  a  satisfactory  answer  to   his  gloomy  inquiry,  till  he 


THE    EVENING    OF    LIFE    SORROWFUL.  l53 

believes  that  by  sin  came  death,  and  so  death  hath  passed  upon  all 
men  for  that  all  have  sinned. 

There  is  some  mystery  in  all  this  even  to  the  believer.  In  his 
creed,  life  is  a  scene  of  probation,  where  the  soul  may  ripen  for  its 
future  destiny.  Hence  why  is  so  large  a  proportion  of  a  life  so 
short,  filled  up  with  incapacity  of  mental  action  1  Why  docs  not 
the  mind  come  into  being  strong  and  vigorous,  prepared  to  do  the 
task  assigned  it  1  Why  is  not  the  heart  prepared  to  put  forth  at 
the  first,  matured  and  powerful  afTectionsl  Then  the  character 
might  be  formed  at  once,  and  the  man  might  become,  while  in  the 
present  case  he  is  an  infant,  matured  in  piety,  and  far  less  than 
half  the  probation  now  allowed  him,  would  fit  him  to  be  the  en- 
lightened and  useful  associate  of  angels. 

It  is  true,  that  many  things  could  be  said  to  vindicate  the  ways 
of  God  in  all  this,  and  if  not,  it  would  be  easy  to  show,  that  as  he 
is  wise  and  good,  and  holds  under  his  entire  government  the  be- 
ings he  created,  he  must  have  directed  wisely  all  the  circumstan- 
ces of  our  probation.  Here  the  humble. believer  could  rest  satis- 
fied, and  would  be  content  to  wait  patiently  till  that  day  when  all 
the  appointments  of  heaven  shall  be  freely  vindicated. 

The  text  brings  into  view  a  period  of  life  peculiarly  laborious 
and  sorrowful  :  the  years  beyond  seventy.  This  is  an  age  at 
which  but  few  arrive,  and  the  few  who  do,  rather  sigh  and  groan 
than  live.  Not  that  every  man  is  happy  precisely  up  to  that  peri- 
od, and  then  miserable  :  this  would  contradict  experience.  Some 
sink  under  the  weight  of  years  before  they  arrive  at  seventy,  while  a 
few  others  carry  through  perhaps  another  score  of  years,  all  the 
vigor  of  undecaying  manhood.  Still  should  we,  from  our  own  ob- 
servation, draw  the  line  between  vigorous  and  pleasureable  man- 
hood and  the  haltings  and  gloominess  of  old  age,  we  should  pro- 
bably fix  it  at  three-score  years  and  ten,  where  it  is  already  fixed 
by  the  pen  of  inspiration. 

In  what  follows,  it  will  be  my  object  to  illustrate  the  truth  of 
the  text,  and  show  that  the  proper  evening  of  life  must  ordinarily  be 
laborious  and  sorrowful.     This  will  follow, 

1.  From  the  ordinary  weaknesses  of  the  body.,  in  that  advanced 
period  of  life.  What  our  Lord  said  to  Peter  with  reference  to  his 
crucifixion,  might  apply  to  every  man  :  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
thee,  when  thou  wast  young  thou  girdest  thyself,  and  walkedst 
whither  thou  wouldest :  but  when  thou  shall  be  old,  thou  shalt 
stretch  forth  thy  hands,  and  another  shall  gird  thee,  and  carry 
thee  whither  thou  wouldest  not."     Very  few  are  permitted  to  carry 

VOL.  II  20 


154>  THE    EVENING    OF    LIFE    SORROWFUL. 

with  them  aown  into  the  vale  of  years,  the  vigor  of  youth.  The 
muscles  lose  their  elasticity,  the  eye  grows  dim,  the  ear  is  dull  of 
hearing,  and  the  whole  body  bends  toward  the  grave.  How 
gloomy  to  see  the  old  man  leaning  upon  his  stafT,  or  advancing 
with  slow  and  cautious  steps,  and  interrupted  by  every  obstacle 
that  used  to  increase  his  speed,  till  at  length  he  seats  himself  to 
rest,  and  pants  as  if  he  had  made  his  dying  effort.  The  grasshop 
per  has  become  a  burden.  The  slumbers  of  the  night  are  inter- 
rupted with  pain,  and  the  least  exertion  brings  on  an  almost  insup- 
portable lassitude.  He  aches  for  the  repose  of  the  grave,  and 
hopes  for  no  alleviation  till  his  body  has  crumbled  into  dust.  He 
seems  to  live  merely  to  sigh,  and  groan,  and  suffer. 

Nor  can  he  fail  to  draw  the  contrast  between  his  present  and 
his  youthful  days.  It  seems  but  yesterday  when  every  power  per- 
formed its  functions  with  agility,  and  when  he  could  see  none 
about  him  who  were  more  active  and  sprightly  than  himself.  Ac- 
tion was  his  enjoyment,  and  when  he  had  toiled,  his  rest  was  long 
and  sweet.  Now  when  he  has  made  his  mightiest  effort  he  is  still 
a  child,  and  trembles  at  the  shaking  of  a  leaf.  He  anticipates  the 
hour  when  he  must  be  thrown,  in  all  his  imploring  helplessness, 
upon  the  support  of  his  offspring. 

2.  That  period  of  life  is  attended  not  only  with  a  weakness  and 
failure  of  the  bodily  powers,  but  with  a  decay  of  the  mental  ener- 
gies. The  mind  that  had  seemed  to  mature  with  the  body,  seems 
now  to  be  verging  with  it  to  the  brink  of  destruction.  The  power 
of  thought,  of  reflection,  of  association,  and  of  reasoning,  the 
power  of  recollection  and  of  memory,  seem  all  to  partake  of  the 
same  weakness  as  do  the  powers  of  the  body.  How  does  it  affect 
our  hearts,  when  an  aged  and  venerated  father  begins  to  lose  the 
countenances  of  his  children,  forgets  their  names,  repeats  in  their 
hearing  the  same  tale  told  an  hour  since,  and  now  again  rehearsed 
with  all  the  animation  and  interest  of  novelty — when  it  is  seen  that 
the  plainest  matters  of  fact  are  controverted,  and  the  most  sacred 
pledge  of  confidence  unredeemed — when  the  lapse  of  an  hour 
seems  a  year  or  an  age,  and  the  same  friend  is  accosted  many 
times  during  the  same  interview,  as  then  for  the  first  time  recog- 
nised, and  constrained  to  reply  again  and  again  to  the  same  inter- 
rogation, till  the  kindest  feelings  become  the  prey  of  fatigue. 

And,  perhaps,  amid  the  whole,  there  is,  to  the  man  himself,  no 
conviction  of  failure  or  decay.  There  is  the  same  entire  confi- 
dence in  every  dictate  of  the  mind,  as  when  it  remained  unim- 
paired in  the  man  of  fifty.     Ov^casionally,  perhap:s,  we  do  see  all 


THE    EVENING    OF    LIFE    SORROWFTTL.  155 

its  former  excellence.  The  mind  makes  one  effort  before  it  re- 
collects its  weakness,  and  there  is  in  that  effort  all  the  vigor  of 
matured  reflection  ;  but  it  sinks  immediately,  and  then  is  wit- 
nessed the  imbecility  of  childhood. 

I  not  long  since  heard  an  aged  minister  of  Christ  address  his 
people,  extempore,  on  the  concerns  of  futurity,  when  there  was  a 
striking  display  of  this  mixture  of  strength  and  weakness.  One 
moment  he  reached  his  point  by  some  strong,  condensed,  and  con- 
vincing argument  ;  at  the  next  he  had  lost  his  strength,  and  was 
weak  as  other  men.  Now  he  softened  down  the  burning  glories 
of  the  Godhead  till  human  eyes  would  gaze  and  live — and  while 
yet  the  figure  was  scarcely  finished,  the  vision  had  fled  ;  he  raised 
his  hand  to  give  the  sentiment  its  proper  emphasis,  but  his  hand 
remained  stationary,  and  the  audience  were  subjected  to  the  pain 
of  carrying  out  the  sentiment  by  their  own  eff"ort,  or  of  seeing 
fled  for  ever  one  of  the  finest  thoughts  that  ever  dropped  upon  them 
from  human  lips.  Now  it  does  not  concern,  in  the  present  inquiry, 
to  decide  whether  the  mind  is  the  subject  of  a  real  decay,  or  whe- 
ther its  failure  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  derangement  of  the  organs 
through  which  it  operates.  There  can  hardly  be  a  doubt  but  that 
it  will  appear  in  all  its  strength  and  stature,  unimpaired  by  age  or 
effort,  when  once  it  shall  be  dislodged  from  its  crumbling  mansion. 
This  will  be  believed  by  all  who  have  confidence  in  its  immortality. 
But  its  apparent  decay  has  at  present  all  the  effect  of  a  reality, 
producing  in  the  mind  of  the  beholder  all  the  pity,  and  brings  upon 
itself  all  the  diffidence,  the  darkness,  and  the  distress  of  a  real 
approximation  toward  extinction. 

3.  The  period  of  which  we  speak  is  of  course  subjected  to  a 
distressing  depression  of  animal  spirits.  When  there  has  come 
upon  the  members  of  the  body  a  prostration  so  total,  and  upon 
the  mind  a  correspondent  imbecility,  it  cannot  well  be  hoped  that 
there  shall  remain  the  same  flow  of  spirits,  the  same  animation 
and  spirit  of  action,  and  enterprise,  as  when  there  was  felt  all  the 
vigor  and  the  impulse  of  youth.  Hence  we  often  see  the  old  man 
gloomy  and  depressed.  Small  as  are  the  remains  of  his  energy, 
mental  or  corporeal,  he  has  not  sufficient  ambition  to  put  in  action 
the  powers  that  he  does  possess.  He  feels  that  he  is  beginning  to 
lose  all  his  consequence  and  all  his  influence.  He  is  listened  to 
with  the  profoundest  respect,  but  when  his  sentiments  are  commu- 
nicated, he  has  the  mortification  to  know,  that  having  wholly  mis- 
taken the  point,  or  having  faile  i  to  utter  the  thought  which  he  in- 
tended to  communicate,  or  from  some  other  cause  to  him  inexpli- 


156  THE    EVENING    OF    LIFE    SORROWFUL. 

cable,  there  is  really  no  weight  given  to  his  argument,  and  all  his 
labor  is  lost.  He  now  begins  to  retire  from  a  community  who 
conceive,  at  least,  that  they  can  manage  more  wisely  without  him. 
But  he  carries  gloom  and  sorrow  into  his  retirement.  The  mind 
that  has  been  active,  and  has  commanded  attention  and  respect, 
cannot,  without  some  degree  of  pain,  see  itself  neglected,  and 
sinking  into  comparative  disesteera.  Hence  we  cannot  wonder  if 
we  see  crossing  the  cheek,  furrowed  with  age,  the  tear  of  melan- 
choly. Every  dutiful  child,  and  every  man  in  youth  and  middle 
age,  who  respects  himself,  will  readily  wipe  away  that  tear.  But 
when  all  is  done  that  filial  affection  and  gratitude  can  do  to  smooth 
the  aged  father's  path  to  the  sepulchre,  still  that  eye,  now  dim 
with  age,  must  weep,  and  that  mind,  which  sees  decaying  every 
organ  of  its  communication,  must  naturally  shrink  back  upon 
itself,  and  mourn  that  it  must  so  early  become  obsolete.  And  we 
shall  still  more  strongly  expect  this  operation  of  old  age,  when 
we  reflect, 

4.  That  the  man  who  has  passed  threescore  years  and  ten,  must 
find  himself  deserted  of  almost  all  the  companions  of  his  youth. 
He  has  lived  to  bury  that  whole  generation  who  were  cotemporary 
with  his  boyhood  and  his  youth.  He  has  parted,  perhaps,  with  the 
companion  of  his  bosom,  and  has  been  present  at  the  interment  of 
almost  all  his  mother's  children.  He  seldom  meets  with  one  who 
can  rehearse  with  him  the  scenes  of  his  early  life,  or  feel  any 
.sympathy  in  the  story  of  his  pleasures  or  his  escapes.  He  stands 
like  a  tree  which  was  once  in  the  bosom  of  a  forest,  but  now  is 
left  to  feel  the  full  weight  of  every  storm,  while  the  associates  of 
his  youth,  whose  united  energies  would  obtrude  the  blast,  have  all 
perished  ;  and  his  decaying  boughs  too  strongly  indicate  that  he 
must  soon  yield  the  soil  to  a  later  growth,  and  permit  the  winds 
of  heaven  to  pass  unobstructed.  True,  he  is  surrounded  by  his 
children,  and  they  are  dear  to  him,  and  he  to  them.  They  feel 
every  sigh  he  heaves,  and  would,  were  it  in  their  power,  return 
him  to  his  former  enjoyments.  But  they  cannot  restore  to  him 
the  companions  of  his  youth,  they  cannot  relax  the  rigidities,  or 
brace  the  weaknesses  of  a  broken  constitution.  They  can  only 
nurse  him,  and  smile  upon  him,  while  to  him  the  world  seems 
empty,  as  if  some  pestilence  should  prey  upon  its  whole  popula- 
tion, leaving  only  here  and  there  a  solitary  individual,  or  as  if 
some  earthquake  should  suddenly  hide  from  our  view  every  human 
being  who  had  known  us  or  loved  us. 

It  is  said  that  the  aged,  while  they  have   a  keen  recollection  of 


THE    EVENING    OF    LIFE    SORROWFUL.  157 

what  passed  in  their  youth,  remember  with  difficulty  the  scenes 
of  later  life.  The  impressions  which  the  mind  received  while  it 
was  young  and  tender  remain,  while  the  events  more  recent  are 
lost.  Hence,  break  up  every  early  connection,  associate  with  the 
grave  and  the  dead  all  the  moving  scenes  of  life,  and  you  have 
covered  the  aged  man  with  a  cloud,  from  which  he  will  find  it  dif- 
ficult to  emerge,  till  he  goes  to  his  long  home.  Hence,  it  will  na- 
turally be  expected,  that  the  evening  of  life  will  be  lowering  and 
gloomy.  True,  if  the  man  of  eighty  has  loved  the  Lord  Jesus, 
there  still  remains  unbroken  the  tie  that  binds  him  to  his  best 
friend,  and  the  presence  of  God  may  render  him  happy.  I  have 
read  of  an  aged  Simeon,  who  waited  for  the  consolation  of  Israel, 
and  who  was  enabled  to  sing  and  rejoice  on  embracing  the  infant 
Redeemer.  But  even  Simeon,  in  the  midst  of  his  enjoyments, 
chose  rather  to  depart  in  peace,  and  enjoy  the  fruits  of  salvation 
in  some  better  world. 

5.  There  must  accompany  that  period  of  life  of  which  we  speak, 
in  spite  of  every  efTort  to  efface  it,  the  strong  impression  that 
every  step  is  upon  the  margin  of  the  grave.  Occasionally,  per- 
haps, the  few  months  that  remain  may  seem  to  the  aged  man  like 
a  thousand  years,  but  his  habitual  conviction  must  be  that  his  race 
is  almost  run.  The  ties  that  have  bound  him  to  life  are  fast  break- 
ing. Every  pang  he  feels  reminds  him  that  his  grave  will  soon  be 
ready.  So  tardy  flows  the  stream  of  life  as  to  assure  him  that 
soon  the  heart  will  bent  no  longer. 

Hence,  should  he  think  of  forming  new  relationships,  he  could 
hardly  hope  that  they  would  exist  till  they  should  become  consoli- 
dated. If  he  make  any  new  attempts  to  increase  his  wealth,  he 
but  toils  for  another,  and  so  becomes  a  slave.  Would  he  improve  his 
mind,  he  finds  it  not  susceptible  of  new  impressions,  and  the  toil 
wears  him  out  the  sooner.  Thus  is  he  impeded  in  every  e^fl^ort  by 
the  abiding  conviction,  that  already  his  days  are  nearly  numbered. 


How  indispensable  that  the  aged  have  the  supports  of  piety. 
Else  that  period  of  life  must  find  its  miseries  tenfolded.  The  gray 
headed  unbeliever  has  no  view  that  is  pleasant.  When  he  looks 
backs  he  sees  nothing  but  a  dreary  waste  of  sin  and  death.  No 
deed  of  his  past  life,  no  affection  or  motive  will  bear  a  serious  re- 
view ;  hence  he  is  afraid  to  reflect.  When  he  looks  within,  ho 
sees  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  matured  bv  a  lonsfand  obstinate  con- 
flict with  God,  for  a  dreary  and  fearful  abode  in  the  pit.     And 


158  THE    EVENING    OF    LIFE    SORROWFUL. 

when  he  anticipates  the  judgment,  he  has  no  solid  ground  to  hope 
that  it  shall  not  consummate  his  present  wretchedness.  Thus  is 
added  to  all  the  gloom  induced  by  age,  infirmity,  and  crime,  the 
apprehended  horrors  of  the  second  death. 

But  when  gray  hairs  are  found  in  the  way  of  righteousness, 
when  the  man  advanced  in  years  is  also  advanced  in  grace,  tliere 
is  before  the  eye  of  the  mind  one  prospect  bright  and  luminous 
He  may  sigh  under  his  growing  infirmities,  may  realize  the  tem- 
porary decay  of  his  mind,  may  feel  the  loss  of  his  friends,  may 
mourn  his  loneliness,  and  expect  soon  his  departure,  but  may  look 
forward  with  pleasure  to  the  scenes  of  a  better  life.  Then  his 
youth  will  be  renewed  as  the  eagle's,  his  mind  will  regain  its  vigor, 
he  will  meet  again  many  of  the  cor*panions  of  his  youth,  every 
cloud  that  hung  over  him  will  have  fled,  and  death  be  swallowed 
up  in  victory.  Now  he  can  wait  patiently  all  the  days  of  his  ap- 
pointed time  till  his  change  come  ;  till  he  come  to  the  grave  in 
peace  as  a  shock  of  corn  fully  ripe. 

One  word  to  those  who  have  approached  this  gloomy  period  of 
life  unsanctified.  Perhaps  the  infirmities  of  age  may  have  brought 
upon  the  mind  a  stupidity  which  will  forbid  you  to  own  this  char- 
acter. But  this  will  not  alter  the  reality.  If  you  are  unsanctified, 
the  fact  is  known  to  him  who  in  a  few  days  will  judge  you.  Why 
not  make  one  more  effort  to  escape  from  the  miseries  of  the  second 
death.  You  have  sometimes  known  a  dying  effort  to  prove  suc- 
cessful. Despair  has  sometimes  inspired  the  onset  that  has  saved 
a  besieged  army.  One  has  achieved,  to  save  his  life,  or  rescue  his 
family,  what  had  not  been  possible  in  ordinary  circumstances.  You 
may  have  known  the  case  where  a  father,  to  save  his  chil  ',  has 
forced  his  way  through  volum  s  of  fire,  not  to  be  endured  but  in 
just  such  an  emergency,  yet  accomplished  his  object  and  lived. 
Just  such  an  effort  you  should  make  to  escape  from  the  wrath  to 
come.  What  if  you  do  feel  the  weaknesses  of  old  age  1  if  the 
soul  is  not  safe,  make  it  safe,  or  die  in  the  agonies  of  a  desperate 
attempt.  Think  not,  my  father,  tiiat  this  subject  may  be  dismissed, 
because  you  have  neglected  the  season  in  which  it  should  have 
been  attended  to.  To  dismiss  it  will  cost  you  your  soul.  It  may 
be  a  late  hour  to  attend  to  it,  but  it  must  have  your  attention.  "It 
is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God."  Were 
you  on  your  death  bed,  and  had  done  nothing,  we  should  urge  upon 
you  the  possibility  of  making  your  escape,  even  then.  But  you 
are  yet,  perhaps,  in  the  enjoyment  of  ordinary  health.  We  wish 
you  too  well,  to  be  willing  that  the  miseries  of  old  should  at  length 


THE    EVENING    OF    LIFE    SORROWFUL.  159 

terminate  in  perdition.  Heaven  yet  offers  you  salvation,  and  if 
you  will  but  terminate  the  quarrel  with  your  Maker,  and  believe 
on  his  Son,  you  shall  live.  Is  it  not  worth  an  effort  I  I  urge  it, 
because  you  must  so  soon  put  on  the  shroud  and  lie  down  in  the 
grave — that  what  is  done  must  be  done  now,  or  you  are  for  ever 
undone. 

I  must  not  conclude,  till  I  have  addressed  those  of  the  aged  who 
have  a  good  hope  through  grace,  that  with  them  the  great  work 
of  life  has  been  attended  to.  Still,  fathers,  you  may  not  presume 
that  you  have  no  more  to  do.  I  presume  you  are  conscious  that 
you  have  not  been  very  profitable  servants.  If  you  hope  that 
your  trials  are  almost  over,  and  that  you  shall  soon  be  glorified, 
your  industry  should  be  greatly  increased.  A  pilgrim  that  has  al- 
most reached  his  home,  will  sometimes  make  a  longer  journey  the 
last  day  than  on  any  other.  A  miserable  world  should  have  your 
dying  blessing.  You  may  "yet  let  your  light  shine  before  men, 
that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  in 
heaven."  Perhaps  some  eff'ort  at  faithfulness  might  yet  render 
you  the  instrument  of  salvation  to  some  perishing  sinner.  You 
can  yet  do  much  for  the  perishing  heathen,  and  you  can  offer  many 
prayers  for  the  advancement  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  You 
must  not  be  willing  to  escape  to  heaven  and  leave  the  world  as 
miserable  as  it  may  be,  but  as  holy  and  happy  as  you  can  render  it. 

An  increased  activity  is,  of  all  others,  the  best  means  of  render- 
ing the  evening  of  life  happy.  A  sentinel  may  not  leave  his  post 
till  his  watch  is  out.  Not  one  of  you  will  remain  here  longer  than 
God  has  employment  for  you.  And  the  hope  of  heaven,  so  soon, 
should  beget  in  you  the  energy  of  a  young  believer.  Should  the  sol- 
dier know,  that  when  he  has  fought  another  battle,  he  is  to  go  home 
and  receive  the  honors  of  his  king,  think  you  that  he  would  not 
try  to  do  himself  honor  in  that  last  conflict  1  Would  you  not  trem- 
ble for  that  section  of  the  opposing  army  who  presented  them- 
selves before  the  point  of  his  sword  1  And  why  should  not  the  be 
liever,  of  three  score  years  and  ten,  who  is  to  be  so  soon  in  hea- 
ven, summon  up  all  his  strength,  and  put  in  requisition  all  his  wis- 
dom, that  by  one  decided  and  mighty  effort,  he  may  spread  as  wide 
a  ruin  as  possible  in  the  ranks  of  the  prince  of  darkness  1  One 
year  spent  in  making  such  an  effort,  and  how  pleasantly  could  he 
die.  He  would  thus  stimulate  those  who  should  continue  in  the 
work  after  his  departure,  and  who  can  doubt  but  in  that  case  bis 
track  to  the  grave  would  be  the  more  luminous,  and  his  passage 
through  the  valley  more  pleasant  1 


SERMON  LV. 

HEAVEN'S  CURE  FOR  THE  PLAGUES  OF  SIN. 

ROMANS    XIII.  8. 
Owe  no  man  any  thing,  but  lo  love  one  another. 

Sin  has  made  this  a  miserable  world.  It  has  bred  a  host  of  un- 
hallowed passions,  which  perpetually  operate  to  widen  the  wastes 
and  ago^ravate  the  miseries  of  the  curse.  One  who  was  a  stranger 
to  these  passions,  and  should  see  how  they  operate,  would  wonder 
if  men  were  happy  in  proportion  as  they  rendered  each  o-ther 
miserable  !  — if  their  only  remaining  joy  consisted  in  laying  waste 
the  inheritance  of  their  neighbors.  Else  why  with  so  much  in- 
dustry and  perseverance,  do  they  endeavor  to  wrest  from  others 
their  wealth,  their  good  name,  tlieir  influence,  their  quiet  and  their 
hope.  And  yet  the  inference  drawn  from  all  this  would  be  incor- 
rect. Men  are  not  happy  in  rendering  others  less  so.  They  may- 
gratify  malignant  passions,  but  this  gratification  is  not  happiness; 
it  but  stimulates  the  plapue  that  reigns  in  the  bosom,  and  gives  it 
an  increased  ability  to  destroy  ;  it  but  feeds  the  fever  that  rages 
afterward  with  the  more  violence,  produces  inward  distress,  and 
preys  upon  the  soul  with  a  more  unsatiable  and  incontrollable  se- 
verity. Follow  home  the  man  who  has  been  out  to  injure  his 
neighbor,  who  carries  home  with  him  a  shilling  that  is  not  his 
own.  or  the  consciousness  that  he  has  made  any  inroads  upon 
happiness  or  character,  and  as  you  live  you  find  that  man  unhappy. 
He  brings  into  his  own  family  the  passions  that  raged  abroad,  and 
the  bed  that  should  give  him  rest,  is  a  bed  of  thorns.  He  has 
obeyed  the  dictates  of  his  own  evil  heart,  but  he  now  must  listen 
to  the  reproaches  of  a  wounded  conscience.  He  is  constrained 
to  know  that  he  has  done  wrong;  and  is  strongly  apprehensive 
of  a  re-action  that  will  rei>der  his  own  territory  in  its  turn  the 
seat  of  a  similar  warfare. 

The  text  enjoins  a  temper  and  a  conduct  by  which  men  might 
render  each  other  happy,  might  convert  this  desert  into  the  garden 
of  Cod,  and  make  our  passage  through  it  gay  and  cheerful.  The 
apostle  had  treated  of  the  honor,  the  afTection,  and  the  duty  which 


heaven's  cure  for  the  plagues  of  sin.  161 

men  owe  to  their  superiors,  and  proceeds  in  the  text  to  lay  down 
rules  that  apply  generally  to  all  men ;  rules  which,  if  observed, 
would  tend  greatly  to  meliorate  the  condition  of  the  apostacy. 
We  are  to  pay  every  debt  but  love.  This  we  are  to  feel  that  we 
are  to  be  always  paying,  but  must  ever  owe.  This  is  a  debt  that 
we  are  to  be  willing  to  owe  Uj  all  men  for  ever.  To  this  we  are 
to  be  urged  by  the  consideration  that  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 
law  ;  by  which  the  apostle  means,  no  doubt,  the  second  table  of 
the  law.  Hence  he  enumerates  some  particulars  of  that  section 
of  the  decalogue:  "Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery;  thou  shalt 
not  kill ;  thou  shalt  not  steal;  thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness ; 
thou  shalt  not  covet;"  and,  that  no  part  might  remain  unsaid,  he 
adds,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself."  He  then  sums 
lip  the  argument,  "Love  worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbor,  therefore 
love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law." 

I  shall  endeavor  to  explain  the  nature  of  love,  show  Jiow  it  will 
operate^  and  press  the  duty,  but  shall  dwell  particularly  upon  the  last 
article. 

T.  I  am  to  explain  the  nature  of  love.  There  are  two  kinds  of 
affection  that  have  this  title.  One  is  an  approbation  and  affection 
for  a  chiracter  that  pleases  us;  the  other  is  an  ardent  good-will 
toward  beings  capable  of  happiness.  Both  of  these  affections  are 
exercises  of  the  Divine  mind.  God  views  all  holy  beings  with 
approbation,  and  loves  them  in  the  first  sense  mentioned.  Sinners 
he  views  with  disapprobation,  but  still  with  compassion.  Hence 
it  is  said  that  he  is  angry  with  the  wicked  every  day  ;  that  is,  he 
hates  their  character  and  conduct.  And  yet  it  is  said,  that  he  "so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him,  might  have  everlasting  life."  One  of  these 
affections,  that  with  which  he  views  holy  beings,  is  termed  com- 
placency ;  God  is  pleased  with  them.  The  other,  that  which  he 
exercises  toward  wicked  being?,  who  are  capable  of  being  happy,  is 
termed  benevolence  ;  God  wishes  them  happiness.  And  both  of 
these  affections  are  enjoined  upon  man.  God  and  an?els,  and  all 
holy  beings,  we  are  obligated  to  look  upon  with  complacency,  and 
towards  all  men  we  are  bound  to  exercise  good-will  ;  this  is  the 
affection  enjoined  in  the  text.  It  is  our  duty  to  feel  kindly  to- 
wards all  men,  to  wish  them  happy,  and,  as  far  as  in  our  power, 
accomplish  our  wishes.  It  may  be  well  to  say,  however,  that 
there  is  one  exception.  There  are  beings  whom  God  has  con- 
demned to   everlasting  unhappiness.     In  this  case,  we   may  not 

VOL.  II.  21 


162  heaven's  cure  for  the  plagues  of  sin. 

wish  to  reverse  the  appointment  of  God,  and  snatch  from  misery 
those  whose  release  would  be  inconsistent  with  the  general  good. 
We  may  wish  well  to  all  men,  and  still  be  willing  to  see  the  con- 
vict imprisoned  and  executed.  This  the  good  of  the  civil  com- 
munity demands,  and  this  benevolence  assents  to,  nay,  even 
requires.  He  who  would  suffer  the  murderer  or  the  incendiary 
to  go  at  large,  would  find  it  difficult  to  evince  his  benevolence. 
And  God  may  be  good  to  all,  and  his  tender  mercies  over  all  his 
works,  and  still  there  may  be  some  whom  his  benevolence  may 
never  render  happy.  There  may  go  after  the  wretch  whom  the 
general  good  requires  should  suffer,  a  lingering  look  of  compas- 
sion ;  there  may  follow  him  into  his  exile  and  his  ruin  the  good- 
will that  would  have  made  him  happy ;  but  there  may  be  felt 
towards  other  beings  an  affection  so  strong  as  to  prevent  it  from 
being  exercised. 

This  exception,  then,  plainly,  understood,  benevolence,  as  en- 
joined in  the  text,  is  a  high  regard  to  the  well-being  of  all  crea- 
tures who  are  capable  of  being  made  happy.  I  was  to  inquire,  in 
the 

II.  Place,  How  this  affection  will  operate.  Here  the  path  of  our 
thoughts  is  plain.  Love  worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbor.  It  will 
neither  kill,  nor  steal,  nor  covet,  nor  defraud,  nor  witness  falsely. 
It  will  lead  to  the  discharge  of  every  debt  but  one,  and  that  one 
the  debt  of  love  ;  it  will  delight  to  owe  and  pay,  and  still  owe  for 
ever.  Those  whom  we  love  we  wish  happy  ;  and  in  proportion  to 
the  strength  of  that  affection,  will  be  the  energy  exerted  to  accom- 
plish that  object.  If  to  be  calm  and  content  will  render  them  hap- 
py, we  shall  be  reluctant  to  ruffle  their  temper  or  move  their  envy. 
If  to  be  rich,  and  respected,  and  wise,  will  make  them  happy,  we 
shall  wish  their  success  in  business,  their  increased  respectability, 
and  their  advance  in  knowledge.  If  health,  and  ease,  and  long 
life,  and  domestic  friendship,  will  add  to  their  enjoyments,  we  shall 
wish  them  all  these  ;  and  what  we  wish  for  them,  we  shall  be  will- 
ing, if  in  our  power,  to  do  for  them.  But  if  only  the  grace  of  God 
can  make  them  blessed  ;  it  will  be  our  strongest  wish,  and  our 
most  ardent  prayer,  that  God  would  sanctify  them.  Hence  the 
reason  why  God's  people  expend  the  strongest  efforts  of  their 
good-will  to  their  fellow-men  in  rendering  them  holy.  Hence  the 
warnings,  the  reproofs,  the  threatenings,  the  admonitions  of  God 
toward  a  world  he  laves  ;  and  hence  something  of  the  same  in  his 
people  toward  those  for  whom  they  feel  the  highest  good-will.     1 


HEAVEN  S    CURE    FOR    THE    PLAGUES    OF    SIN.  163 

am  ready  to  concede  that  the  benevolence  I  describe  does  not  ex- 
ist but  in  the  heart  that  is  holy ;  and  still  it  may  be  urged  upon  all 
men,  as  their  duty,  that  conduct,  the  want  of  which  is  their  blot 
and  their  shame.  What  pleasure  have  we  in  contemplating;  the 
character  of  that  man  who  does  not  wish  the  good  of  his  feJlow- 
men;  but  can  see  about  him  percipient  beings  like  himself,  whom 
he  is  willing  should  be  less  blessed  than  they  might  be  1  And  yet, 
if  we  should  judge  from  facts,  we  should  be  constrained  to  say 
that  this  character  is  common.  He  who  would  have  what  is  not 
his  due,  what  is  it  but  a  wish  expressed,  that  his  neighbor  should 
be  poorer  than  God  has  made  him  1  He  who  would  unnecessarily 
speak  evil  of  his  neighbor,  does  he  not  express  a  wish  that  his 
neighbor  had  a  worse  character  than  the  providence  of  God  has 
given  him  1  And  he  who  would  irritate  and  provoke  another, 
what  wish  does  he  express  but  this,  that  his  neighbor  might  be  less 
happy  1      I  proceed 

III.  To  press  tke  duty  of  benevolence.  And  here  I  would  pre- 
mise that  the  good-will  which  I  urge  is  to  be  exercised  toward 
friend  and  foe.  The  good  which  real  benevolence  wishes  its  ob- 
ject, is  of  the  same  value  in  the  possession  of  one  man  as  of 
another.  Benevolence  looks  abroad  to  find  happiness,  and  wher- 
ever it  can  be  found  rejoices  in  it;  or  goes  in  search  of  misery, 
and  wherever  it  is  found,  aims  to  convert  it  into  joy.  It  is  a  pure 
and  disinterested  affection,  hence  is  the  offspring  of  a  heavenlj'^ 
temper.     I  would  urge  it  upon  myself  and  my  fellow-men, 

1.  By  the  example  of  God.  I  have  already  noticed  that  text  in 
which  he  is  said  so  to  have  loved  the  world,  "that  he  gave  his 
only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  might  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  God  is  said  to  be  good  to  all, 
and  his  tender  mercies  are  said  to  be  over  all  his  works.  Even  to 
the  heathen  world  "  God  did  not  leave  himself  without  a  witness, 
in  that  he  did  good,  and  gave  them  rain  from  heaven,  and  fruitful 
seasons,  filling  their  hearts  with  food  and  gladness."  "  He  ma- 
keth  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain 
on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust."  Thus  God  employs  himself  in 
making  a  world  of  sinners  happy.  How  constant  and  how  varied 
are  the  operations  of  the  Divine  benevolence.  Life  and  health, 
and  food  and  raiment  are  his  gifts,  and  are  bestowed  on  his  friends 
and  his  foes.  No  man  is  so  impious  but  God  continues  to  water 
his  fields,  and  give  health  and  fruitfulness  to  his  flocks  ;  surrounds 
him  with  friends  and  helpers,  replenishes   his   table,  and   fills  his 


164  heaven's  cure  for  the  plagues  of  sin. 

cup,  his  store-houses  and  his  barns  ;  keeps  all  his  bones  that  none 
of  them  are  broken,  and  perpetually  supplies  him  with  countless 
sources  of  comfort.  There  is  no  year,  no  day,  no  hour,  when  his 
hand  is  not  stretched  out  to  convey  benefits  to  every  house  about 
you  and  to  every  being,  however  regardless  of  His  agency,  and 
however  ungrateful. 

Now  the  text,  and  the  whole  Bible,  just  urges  upon  every  man 
this  same  expanded  benevolence.  You  are  required  to  be  a  work- 
er together  with  God.  If  many  around  you  are  your  enemies,  and 
you  would  urge  this  as  an  excuse  for  neglecting  to  do  them  good, 
you  are  to  remember  that  God  does  not  act  thus.  The  very  man 
that  you  hate  the  most,  is,  it  may  be,  the  enemy  of  God  ;  but  God 
continues  to  do  him  good  every  moment;  never  neglects  to  cause 
his  heart  to  beat  and  his  lungs  to  heave  ;  watches  him  at  night,  and 
in  the  morning  wakes  him,  feeds  him,  clothes  him.  And  perhaps 
you  are  as  much  the  enemy  of  God  as  the  man  you  hate,  but  God 
is  good  to  you.  When  you  plough  your  field  and  scatter  your 
seed,  you  expect  him  to  make  it  vegetate  ;  and  when  you  have 
sent  out  your  ships,  he  sends  the  generous  and  friendly  gale. 
Then  why  not  imitate  an  example  so  infinitely  illustrious!  If  there 
is  not  a  foe  you  have,  but  God  is  doing  him  kindnesses  every  day, 
and  he  is  perhaps  as  much,  nay  more,  the  foe  of  God,  why  not  go 
and  do  likewise  ?  It  would  not  injure  you;  it  would  not  disgrace 
you.  If  it  would  render  you  unhappy  to  do  what  would  render 
your  enemies  happy,  then  know  that  you  have  not  a  godly  temper, 
that  you  have  not  the  benevolence  which  the  gospel  requires. 
God  is  happy  while  he  makes  glad  his  enemies.  It  gratifies  the 
benevolence  of  his  heart,  if  they  rejoice.  But  you  would  carry, 
it  seems,  if  you  could,  sorrow  and  vexation  to  every  house  where 
you  have  not  a  friend  ;  you  would  measure  their  worthiness  by 
their  attachment  to  you,  and  your  benefits  hy  their  worthiness. 
But  God  has  pleasure  in  doing  good,  if  from  the  heart  that  he 
mike  orlad  there  never  rises  any  incense  of  praise  or  one  note  of 
gratitude.  He  is  pleased  when  men  are  sensible  of  his  benefits, 
and  when  they  love  to  praise  him,  but  it  gives  him  joy  to  do  good, 
abstractly  from  any  return  that  creatures  make.  Now  we  can 
meet  with  no  case  more  forbidding  than  God  meets  with.  There 
are  some  into  whose  bosoms  God  has  poured  his  blessings  these 
seventy  years,  and  there  has  never  yet  been  awakened  one  senti- 
ment of  gratitude.  There  has  risen  to  his  throne  every  hour  the 
murmurings,  the  repinings,  the  complaints,  and  the  spleen  of  an 
impious  heart  •  and,  perhaps  daily,  the  vibrations  of  profane  and 


heaven's  cure  for  the   plagues  of  sin.  165 

lying  lips.  Yet  all  this  never  induced  the  Lord  to  leave  his  fields 
one  year  unwatered,  or  leave  him  one  day  without  light,  and  food, 
and  reason.  Who  is  there,  then,  that  can  have  a  foe  so  inveter- 
ate that  he  is  not  under  obligation,  if  in  his  power,  to  do  him 
good  1  If  then  we  find  ourselves,  instead  of  exercising  such  a 
spirit,  engaged  in  injuring  a  fellow-creature,  we  have  only  to  re- 
collect how  differently  God  is  doing  at  the  same  moment.  We 
are  wronging  him,  and  God  is  feeding  him  ;  we  are  defaming  him, 
and  endeavoring  to  diminish  his  influence,  and  God  is  giving  him 
health,  and  wealth,  and  friends.  Now  one  is  thus  placed  in  a  very 
unpleasant  attitude.  Suppose  Jehovah  visible  ;  he  and  you  meet 
at  your  neighbor's  door ;  you  have  come  to  ruin  him,  but  God  has 
come  to  bring  him  blessings.  He  is  your  enemy,  and  he  is  God's 
enemy.  He  has  once  injured  you  ;  God  he  has  wronged  and  abus- 
ed every  day  he  has  lived.  And  when  the  Lord  has  supplied  his 
wants,  he  comes  to  your  door  and  supplies  yours,  and  you  perhaps 
have  been  as  base  a  rebel  as  your  neighbor.  Now,  although  God 
is  not  seen  by  the  eye  of  sense,  the  fact  is  not  altered  ;  his  benev- 
olence leads  him  all  this  length.  He  bestows  blessings  every 
hour  upon  the  man  who  would  injure  ;  supplies  the  wants  that  you 
create,  heals  the  wounds  you  inflict,  and  repairs  the  reputation 
you  destroy.  0,  let  shame  cover  us !  and  let  the  benevolence  of 
God  teach  us  to  dr;ip  our  blessings  on  all  men,  at  all  times,  if  they 
are  within  our  reach,  and  we  have  any  good  to  bestow. 

2.  We  are  urged  to  the  same  duty  by  the  command  of  God. 
God  does  not  exhibit  his  example  before  us,  and  leave  it  to  our 
option  whether  we  will  do  like  him.  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself."  This  is  the  law,  precisely,  by  which  heaven  has 
bound  us.  Whatsoever,  then,  we  would  that  others  should  do  to 
us,  we  are  to  do  the  same  to  them.  The  command  is,  "  That  we 
love  our  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  us,  do  good  to  them  that 
hate  us,  and  pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use  us,  and  persecute 
us."  It  is  enjoined,  "  that  we  love  one  another  with  a  pure  heart, 
fervently."  "  That  we  honor  all  men."  "That  we  be  pitiful  and 
courteous."  "That  we  submit  ourselves  to  one  anothv  r,"  and  be 
clothed  with  humility.  "  He  that  would  be  great  must  become  a 
servant."  '^  We  are  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of 
peace."  "Nothing  is  to  be  done  through  vain-glory,  but  each,  in 
lowliness  of  mind,  esteem  other  better  than  themselves."  "Every 
roan  is  to  look  not  on  his  own  things,  but  every  man  also  on  the 
things  of  others,"  that  thus  the  "  same  mind  may  be  in  us  which 
was  also  in  Christ  Jesus."     "  We  are  to  follow  after  the  things 


166  heaven's  cure  for  the  plagues  of  sin. 

that  make  for  peace,  and  things  whereby  one  may  edify  another." 
We  are  to  have  that  "  love  that  worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbor." 
We  are  to  "  love  not  in  word,  neither  in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and 
in  truth."  God  urges  that  we  should  love  one  another  by  the  con- 
sideration, that  he  so  loved  us,  that  he  sent  his  Son  to  be  a  propi- 
tiation for  our  sins.  Thus  are  we  taught  of  God  to  love  one 
another. 

And  the  Scriptures  teach  us  what  the  effect  of  this  love  will  be. 
It  will  lead  to  an  affectionate  deportment,  and  a  readiness  to  serve 
each  other.  It  begets  a  spirit  oi  forbearance,  o{  truth,  o(  unanimi- 
ty, o[  self-denial,  of  meekness,  and  forgiveness.  It  "rejoiceth  not  in 
iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth."  It  "bearethall  things,  be- 
lieveth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things."  Thus  do 
we  see  a  few  of  the  outlines  of  the  code  of  love.  Thus  the  Divine 
authority  binds  us  to  the  exercise  of  that  same  benevolence  which 
God  displays  in  his  own  providence  tovi'^ard  all  men.  Hence  our  ob- 
ligations to  be  benevolent  will  bear,  in  our  view,  an  exact  proper 
tion  to  our  respect  for  the  authority  of  God:  if  the  latter  be 
supreme,  so  will  the  former. 

3.  Benevolence  affords  its  possessor  a  permanent  and  high  enjoy- 
ment. It  is,  in  its  nature,  a  sweet  and  calm  affection,  has  its  origin 
in  heaven,  and  exerts  a  sanctifying  influence  upon  every  other 
exercise  of  the  soul.  It  is  an  affection  which  we  can  contemplate 
with  pleasure,'  and  view  with  complacency.  If  I  know  that  I  love 
my  fellow-men,  I  am  conscious  that  I  feel  as  God  does,  and  as  he 
commands  me  to  feel.  I  see,  in  that  case,  the  image  of  my  Crea- 
tor in  my  heart.  Hence  it  begets  joy  and  hope.  I  believe,  then, 
that  God  has  wrought  in  me,  by  his  Spirit,  has  left  upon  the  heart 
his  own  impress,  and  will  one  day  make  me  wholly  like  him,  and 
take  me  to  himself. 

But  this  is  not  all:  a  benevolent  heart  makes  all  the  happiness 
it  sees  its  own,  and  thus  widens,  indefinitely,  the  sphere  of  its 
enjoyment.  It  has  a  real  pleasure  in  another's  joy,  and  still  does 
not  diminish  the  good  on  which  it  feeds  and  thrives.  If  there  is 
harmony  in  the  civil  community,  or  domestic  quiet  in  any  house, 
or  joy  in  any  heart,  or  peace  in  any  conscience,  the  benevolent 
man  enjoys  it  all,  and  makes  it  all  his  own.  The  whole  aggregate 
of  enjoyment  about  him  becomes  appropriated  to  himself;  if  any 
are  happy,  he  is.  The  man  oi  taste  will  enjoy  what  is  the  property 
of  a  neighbor.  If  he  can  see,  within  another's  enclosures,  a  ver- 
dant spot,  a  lawn,  an  orchard,  or  a  grove,  his  eye  extracts  from  it 
a  pleasure,  which   no  power  can  prevent,  which  no  barriers  can 


heaven's  cure  for  the  plagues  of  sin.  167 

defend.  It  is  his  right,  for  no  one  suffers  by  his  enjoyment — no 
one  is  made  the  poorer  by  his  claim,  or  suffers  to  serve  him.  So 
the  man  of  real  benevolence  gathers  into  his  own  heart  the  joy  that 
elates  the  hearts  of  others,  and  into  his  own  home,  the  quiet,  the 
good-will,  the  condescension,  the  harmony,  and  the  hope,  that 
prevail  in  the  home  of  his  neighbor. 

Let  there  be  enjoyment  any  where  about  him,  and  it  increases 
his  own.  Hence  he  is  the  only  man  who  can  beguile  the  miseries 
of  human  life,  and  rob  the  old  serpent  of  his  sting.  Nothing  can 
make  him  miserable,  if  there  is  happiness  any  where.  Rob  him 
of  his  comforts,  and,  in  an  hour,  he  can  go  and  gather  more.  So 
the  bee,  if  you  take  away  the  bread  he  has  brought  home,  can  hie 
him  away  to  some  opening  flower,  and  gather  a  new  supply. 
Hence,  in  the  dark  hour,  when  all  others  are  wretched,  the  man 
of  real  benevolence  can  be  happy. 

The  soul  that's  filled  with  virtue's  light, 
Shines  brightest  in  affliction's  night, 
And  sees,  in  darkness,  beams  of  hope. 

But  you  tell  me,  that  philanthropy,  in  a  world  so  miserable  as 
this  is,  is  likely  to  create  more  misery  than  joy.  In  every  look 
we  take  athwart  its  wastes,  there  strike  the  eye  ten  objects  pol- 
luted^ deformed,  and  miserable,  where  there  is  one  of  order,  joy,  and 
beauty.  Hence  it  would  seem,  that  the  man  of  kindest  feelings, 
must  be  the  greatest  sufferer,  whilst  the  callous  and  the  cold  who 
are  unmoved  by  human  misery,  and  have  no  tears  for  another's 
wo,  have  the  greatest  share  of  enjoyment.  All  this  seems  rational, 
but  is  not  true.  Benevolence  is  an  affection,  which  carries  its 
own  reward  with  it,  and  must  render  the  heart  happy  that  puts  it 
forth,  were  there  nothing  about  it  but  misery.  It  finds  a  kind  of 
relief  in  its  own  tears,  and  if  all  the  objects  on  which  it  can  fasten 
a  look  of  sympathy  must  remain  unhappy,  it  can  gather  to  itself 
enjoyment  from  the  sympathy  it  feels. 

But  the  benevolent  heart  is  not  driven  to  this  alternative.  This 
world  is  not  wholly  filled  with  misery.  There  may  be  a  dreary 
spot  just  here  ;  a  dearth  of  piety,  the  absence  of  all  holiness,  and 
the  presence  of  stormy  passions  ;  but  beyond  this  scene,  there  is 
fertility  and  life.  God  there  appears  in  his  glory,  men  are  sancti- 
fied, and  are  made  happy,  and  there  is  joy  and  gladness.  The 
benevolent  Howard  spent  much  of  his  life  in  the  prison,  but  he  was 
comforted  to  know  that  this  world  was  not  all  a  prison.  He  car- 
ried with  him  into  the  recesses  and  the  infection  of  the  dungeon 


168  heaven's    cure    for    the    Pr-AGUES    OF    SIN. 

the  recollection,  that  the  sufferers  about  him  were  not  the  whole 
of  this  world's  population.  There  were  those  at  a  little  remove 
from  him,  who  did  not  wear  a  chain,  nor  want  for  bread,  nor  sigh 
for  liberty.  There  were  dwellings  into  which  the  light  of  heaven 
mio-ht  shine,  where  reigned  health,  affection,  and  joy.  Upon  these, 
when  he  could  look  at  misery  no  longer,  he  could  cast  his  eye  and 
find  relief.  So  the  man  in  this  age,  or  in  any  age,  whose  heart 
expands  with  benevolence,  but  who  may  chance  to  see  misery  all 
around  him,  has  only  to  widen  the  circumference  of  his  vision, 
and  it  embraces  objects  that  can  give  him  joy.  If  the  case  require 
he  can  look  beyond  this  world  to  heaven.  There  every  object 
will  gratify  the  benevolence-  of  his  heart.  All  its  inhabitants  are 
holy  and  happy,  beyond  what  hath  entered  into  the  heart  of  man 
to  conceive.  There  is  not  one  object  in  all  its  happy  realms,  on 
which,  while  the  benevolent  heart  lingers,  it  feels  not  the  most 
exquisite  delight.  Thus  the  good  man,  if  the  misery  about  him 
<rives  him  pain  which  he  can  hardly  endure,  having  that  faith  which 
gives  him  the  power  of  flight,  caTi  wing  himself  to  some  happier 
clime,  and  inhale  refreshment  from  scenes  more  adapted  to  his 
taste. 

And  there  is  one  other  thought  from  which  we  discern,  clearly, 
the  advantage  of  the  benevolent  man  above  all  others,  notwith- 
standing the  pain  he  endures  at  the  sight  of  misery.  The  heart 
that  is  not  benevolent,  is,  of  course,  the  seat  of  passions  far  more 
corroding  and  painful  than  the  keenest  sympathy.  Pride,  and 
envy,  and  ambition,  and  covetousness,  with  other  kindred  tor- 
mentors, hold  the  entire  ascendancy,  where  the  heart  has  not  been 
melted  into  love.  And  who  that  has  been  the  prey  of  these  de- 
vourers,  and  has  any  conviction  of  their  power  to  destroy,  would 
not  rather  feel  a  philanthropy  so  pure,  and  be  surrounded  with 
miseries  so  multiplied  as  to  keep  the  heart  bleeding  with  sympa- 
thy, rather  than  be  committed  to  their  merciless  and  arbitrary 
supremacy  \  He  who  looks  upon  poverty,  and  famine,  and  naked- 
ness, in  their  most  appalling  attitude,  and  would  give  relief  but 
cannot^  must  indeed  suffer  intensely  ;  but  still  he  enjoys  a  heaven, 
compared  with  him  who  sees  others  too  happy,  and  envies  them. 
The  one  in  the  midst  of  all  his  tears,  can  be  tranquil  a:.d  submis- 
sive, while  in  the  bosom  of  the  other  there  burns  a  fire  that  con- 
sumes him.  Howard  found  his  joy  diminished,  because  he  looked 
upon  plagues  which  he  had  not  the  power  and  the  skill  to  cure  ; 
but  compare  the  state  of  his  mind,  with  his  who  has  coveted,  but 


HEAVEN  S  CURE  FOR  THE  PLAGUES  OF  SIN.  169 

cannot  possess  the  enjoyments  of  others,  and,  as  you  live,  the  one 
savors  of  heaven,  and  the  other  of  hell. 

If  the  objection  had  any  weight,  it  would  prove  that  God 
must  be  unhappy.  His  benevolence  is  infinite,  and  there  lies, 
under  his  full  inspection,  the  whole  aggregate  of  pollution  and 
misery  that  have  found  their  way  into  his  dominions.  Even 
hell  has  no  covering.  He  sees  alU  the  anguish  and  despair,  hears 
every  groan  and  sigh  that  escapes  the  lips  of  the  lost.  Still  God 
is  infinitely  happy,  and  will  be  when  every  incorrigible  rebel  shall 
have  made  his  bed  in  the  pit,  and  the  smoke  of  their  torment  as- 
cendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever. 

And  the  more  we  are  like  God  the  more  happy.  Import  into 
this  world  that  same  benevolence  that  led  God  to  make  his  Son  a 
sacrifice  for  sin,  and  you  would  fill  it  with  piety  and  joy.  And 
those  who  are  losing  the  Sabbath  at  home,  as  they  saw  you  pass, 
would  half  believe  that  you  were  angels.  You  would  then  apply 
yourselves  to  make  this  section  of  the  apostacy  more  happy.  You 
would  heal  every  quarrel,  would  soothe  every  wicked  passion,  if 
you  might,  would  check  every  prevailing  vice,  and  relieve  every 
want.  You  would  go  home  and  purge  your  house,  and  your  neigh- 
borhood, from  whatever  would  breed  pollution  and  misery,  and 
we  should  soon  all  forget  that  we  had  ever  been  unhappy.  Life 
would  steal  away  like  the  pleasant  sceneries  of  a  dream,  and  death 
would  lose  its  terrors.  We  should  almost  forget  that  this  world 
was  not  the  rest  that  God  had  promised  us.  We  should  ima- 
gine ourselves  suddenly  transplanted  into  the  midst  of  angels, 
should  see  in  every  face  the  countenance  of  a  brother,  and  hear 
in  every  accent  and  in  every  song,  the  symphony  of  a  heavenly 
friendship. 

Do  you  say  that  I  now  tell  you  of  heaven.  Nay,  heaven^  one 
from  that  world  must  describe  it.  I  tell  you  exactly  what  a  little 
spot  of  earth  might  be,  and  what  we  might  make  it,  were  it  not 
for  those  accursed  passions,  which  we  industriously  cultivate,  and 
which  collect  us  joy  from  another's  misery.  Only  let  us  feel  that 
none  about  us  can  be  too  wealthy,  too  respectable,  or  too  happy, 
to  give  us  pleasure,  and  half  the  curse  of  the  apostacy  is  removed. 
Let  us  feel  that  every  wo  another  suffers  is  as  much  our  own,  as 
his,  every  tear  he  weeps  and  every  scng  he  sings  our  own,  and 
this  world  would  cease  to  be  a  wilderness,  and  would  become  like 
the  garden  of  God. 

Let  us  then  retire  with  this  reflection, 

VOL.  11.  22 


170  heaven's  cure  for  the  plagues  of  sin. 

Men  are  their  own  tormentors  !  WouM  they  exercise  benevo- 
lence, and  exert  themselves  to  make  each  other  happy,  much  of 
the  misery  of  this  world  would  soon  disappear,  and  the  remain- 
der would  be  so  divided  and  subdivided  as  scarcely  to  be  felt. 
And  we  should  make  our  way  on  to  heaven,  forgetful  that  we 
were  the  inhabitants  of  a  world  that  God  has  cursed.  But  if, 
instead  of  this,  we-  employ  ourselves  in  the  work  of  mutual 
crimination  and  torture,  we  have  none  to  blame  but  ourselves,  if 
we  wade  to  the  grave  in  tears,  and  find  it  an  avenue  to  the  bot- 
tomless pit. 


SERMON     LVI. 
HEAVEN'S  CURE  FOR  THE  PLAGUES  OF  SIN.— No.  H. 

ROMANS    XIII.    8. 
Owe  no  man  any  thing,  but  to  love  one  another. 

1  HAVE  sometimes  thought  with  myself,  what  must  be  the  sensa- 
tions of  the  heathen,  on  observing  the  conduct  of  this  world's 
population.  They  have  no  Bible  to  tell  them  the  story  of  the 
apostacy,  or  to  teach  them  the  way  of  recovery.  They  see  about 
them  beings  wholly  depraved,  exerting  themselves  to  deceive,  be- 
tray, and  ruin  each  other.  And  they  know  not  of  any  other  life 
where  the  wrongs  of  the  present  can  be  rectified.  The  grave  is 
to  them  an  eternal  sleep.  And  whether  there  be  any  God  to  wit- 
ness the  events  that  pass,  must  demand  a  doubt.  How  deplorable, 
to  beings  thus  benighted,  must  be  the  condition  of  the  human 
family,  and  how  often  must  they  give  utterance  to  the  wish,  that 
they  had  died  the  first  hour  they  came  into  life. 

Even  with  the  Bible  in  our  hands,  and  all  these  mysteries  ex- 
plained, we  sometimes  wonder  that  God  would  build  a  world  and 
then  suffer  it  to  become  so  ruined.  And  still  we  can  have  no  fear 
but  that  it  will  appear  at  last  that  God  has  done  all  things  well.  It 
IS  not  his  purpose  that  this  world  shall  always  exhibit  the  same 
gloomy  and  forebiddlng  view  as  at  present.  During  the  period  of 
millennial  glory  there  will  be,  if  not  a  universal  holiness,  at  least 
such  a  prevalence  of  piety  as  Avill  give  this  world  a  regenerated 
aspect.  To  this  day  God's  people  have  looked  by  faith  these  ma- 
ny thousand  years.  But  is  it  not  to  be  feared  that  we  have  con- 
sidered it  too  remote,  and  have  exerted  too  little  agency  in  hast- 
ening its  coming  1  We  have  believed  and  prayed^  and  have  con- 
sidered this  the  whole  of  our  duty,  while  it  should  be  our  care  to 
cultivate  a  little  spot  in  the  wastes  of  sin,  and  as  soon  as  possible 
remove  from  that  spot  the  whole  of  the  curse.  Let  there  prevail 
the  benevolence  enjoined  in  the  text,  and  the  face  of  the  moral 
world  will  immediately  be  changed.  Let  the  contest  be  which  will 
do  the  most  to  render  others  happy,  and  the  millennial  year  has 
come.     I  attempted  in  a  previous  discourse  to  explain  the  nature 


172  HEjiVEN's    CURE    FOR    THE    PLAGUES    OF    SIN. 

of  benevolence,  to  show  how  it  will  operate,  and  urge  the  duty.  I 
observed  that  we  are  obligated  to  feel  kindly  to  all  men  by  the  ex- 
ample  of  God,  by  his  command,  and  by  the  happiness  which  the  ex- 
ercise affords  to  its  possessors.     I  notice, 

TV.  The  happiness  it  communicates  to  others.  I  am  aware  that 
there  must  be  in  the  heart,  a  wish  to  communicate  joy  to  others  ; 
in  other  words,  there  must  be  some  portion  of  the  very  benevo- 
lence recommended,  in  order  that  the  motive  now  presented  should 
operate.  But  this  is  true  of  all  motives,  except  such  as  address 
themselves  to  the  selfish  feelings.  The  man  who  is  wholly  un- 
sanctified  will  not  regard  the  example  or  the  authority  of  God. 
But  we  ahvays  address  the  motives  of  the  gospel  to  affections  that 
do  not  exist  till  God  produces  them,  and  still  we  hope  that  God 
will  give  the  word  success.  I  would  then  urge  all  the  believers 
and  the  unbelievers  to  love  their  fellow-men,  from  the  fact  that 
by  putting  forth  this  affection  you  can  create  a  world  of  happiness. 

In  the  first  place,  look  about  you  and  see  what  need  there  is  of 
more  happiness  than  at  present  exists,  what  abundant  opportunity 
there  is  for  your  exertion.  You  cannot  be  ignorant  that  you  live 
in  a  ruined  world,  where,  if  you  are  disposed  to  be  kind,  you  can 
find  abundant  employment.  You  can  find  misery  in  almost  every 
shape  and  shade.  You  meet  with  the  poor,  the  ignorant,  and  the 
vicious.  Some  have  no  bread,  some  no  Bible,  and  others,  I  had 
almost  said,  no  Sabbath,  no  gospel,  and  no  conscience.  There  are 
some  who  pay  no  regard  to  Divine  institutions,  and  seldom  or  ne- 
ver visit  the  sanctuary.  There  are  feuds  and  contentions  and 
alienations  and  enmity.  There  are  families  where  there  is  no  do- 
mestic happiness,  where  there  are  neither  smiles  nor  songs,  nor 
pie  sant  words,  nor  kind  affections.  The  husband  and  the  wife, 
whom  God  has  constituted  one  flesh,  live  in  a  state  of  utter  alien- 
ation. The  children  are  rude  and  ignorant,  and  the  parents  per- 
haps intemperate  and  harsh,  and  profane  and  false. 

And  you  can  find  families  who  are  at  war  with  each  other,  who 
are  stationed  side  by  side,  but  through  all  the  year  have  no  inter- 
change of  kind  offices.  There,  too,  are  the  rich  who  have  become 
poor,  the  respectable  who  have  lost  their  character,  the  decent 
who  have  become  intemperate,  the  civil  who  have  become  pro- 
fane, and  the  pure  who  have  become  lewd.  You  can  easily  meet 
with  the  captious,  the  rude,  the  passionate,  the  deceitful,  the  false, 
the  idle,  the  covetous,  the  extortionate,  the  insubordinate,  and  the 
quarrelsome.     Ask  one  man  his  opinion  of  his  neighbors,  and  he 


heaven's  cure  for  the  plagues  of  sin.  173 

will  bring  a  charge  against  some  of  them,  ask  another  and  he  will 
accuse  the  first,  and  a  third  the  second,  and  a  fourth  tiie  third, 
and  finally,  if  you  believe  nothing,  you  will  say  with  David,  that 
all  men  are  liars,  and  if  you  believe  it  all,  you  will  fancy  yourself 
associated  with  a  community  of  convicts.  How  common  are  con- 
tentions, quarrels,  law-suits,  and  disappointments,  and  vexations. 
How  few  men  will  you  find  who  know  of  none  of  whom  tliej'  wish 
to  speak  unkindly,  none  who  have  wronged  them,  none  who  de- 
fame them,  none  who  hate  them,  none  who  envy  them. 

But  I  presume  enough  has  been  said  to  remind  you  that  you 
live  in  a  world  where  there  is  need  enough  of  your  benevolence. 
Nor  will  you  presume  that  this  picture  is  darker  than  the  truth. 
Tlie  fact  is,  it  would  fill  a  volume  to  tell  the  whole.  I  have  only 
glanced  at  the  subject  with  a  view  to  show  you  a  little  section  of 
the  field  which  your  benevolence  should  cultivate.  Would  it  not 
be  desirable  to  apply  a  remedy  if  you  might  to  this  complicated 
malady.  Be  willing,  then,  to  practice  the  benevolence  required, 
and  the  remedy  is  applied  and  the  cure  effected.  I  cannot  fix  my 
eye  upon  any  item  in  this  catalogue  of  miseries,  but  I  instinctively 
recur  to  tlie  men  who  could  reach  a  cure  to  the  very  case.  If  I 
think  of  the  suffering  poor,  there  are  those  at  hand  who  have  all 
the  wealtii  necessary  for  their  relief.  Nor  is  there  any  quarrel, 
but  there  are  those  who  could  still  it;  or  litigation,  but  there  are 
those  who  could  stop  it;  or  misiake,  but  there  are  those  who 
could  rectify  it;  or  injury,  but  there  are  those  who  could  repair 
it.  The  profane  man  has  some  who  countenance,  and,  if  they 
were  disposed,  could  silence  him  ;  the  intemperate  have  such 
about  them  who  aid  and  encourage  them,  and  there  are  those  who, 
exerting  their  influence,  could  reform  them.  Let  us  look  at  ihis 
case  a  moment.  Once  suppose  that  every  mind,  but  that  of  the 
drunkard  himself,  was  suitably  impressed  with  the  danger  and  the 
misery  of  his  course,  and  that  no  one  would  put  the  cup  in  his 
hand  any  sooner  than  he  would  present  him  the  knife  with  which 
he  intended  to  slay  himself,  tell  me  if  it  is  at  all  probable  that  he 
would  ever  be  again  intoxicated  1  No,  when  decent  men  shall 
know  their  duty  and  do  it,  when  they  shall  watch  the  drunkard  as 
they  would  the  man  who  was  meditating  suicide,  and  stand  be- 
tween the  one  and  the  cup,  as  they  would  between  the  other  and 
the  knife,  and  risk  their  very  limbs  to  save  him,  this  dreadful  ave- 
nue of  death  is  closed,  and  there  is  not  a  single  drunkard  to  curse 
society.  And  there  would  thus  disappear  in  an  hour,  at  least  half 
the  plagues  that  prey  upon  the  world's  guilty  and  infatuated  popu- 


174  heaven's  cure  for  the  plagues  of  sin. 

lation.  And  the  benevolence  which  the  text  enjoins,  let  it  once 
prevail,  would  accomplish  this  with  promptness  and  with  ease. 
The  idle,  are  all  within  the  reach  of  an  influence  that  could  render 
them  industrious  ;  the  Sabbath-breaker,  of  an  influence  that  could 
bring  him  to  the  sanctuary  ;  the  covetous,  of  an  influence  that 
could  render  them  generous ;  the  indecent,  of  an  influence  that 
could  civilize  them  ;  and  the  captious,  and  refractory,  of  an  influ- 
ence that  could  render  them  manageable  and  civil.  If  you  doubt 
this  bring  to  yourself  the  case,  and  survey  the  circumstances. 
First  name  the  evil, — then  the  two,  or  the  four,  or  the  ten,  as  it 
"may  be,  who  support  it.  Let  these  become  good  men,  and  the 
plague  is  cured.  I  know  that  if  we  were  all  holy  we  should  be 
but  men,  and  should  be  subject  to  many  weaknesses,  mistakes, 
and  dangers.  But  cure  once  the  miseries  that  sin  produces,  and 
God  would  remove  the  residue.  Let  him  see  from  his  holy  throne 
the  population  of  one  town,  bending  every  effort  to  cure  its  own 
calamities,  and  he  would  act  as  he  never  yet  has,  if  he  did  not 
render  the  effort  successful. 

And  does  not  the  motive  now  presented,  wear  an  enchanting 
aspect.  1  am  urging  you,  my  dear  friends,  to  love  your  fellow- 
men  from  the  consideration  of  the  good  you  could  then  do  them. 
I  look  around  me  and  see  in  varied  forms  a  vast  amount  of  misery. 
The  view  creates  distress,  and  I  urge  you  to  attempt  its  cure. 

Are  you  willing  it  should  remain  1  Can  you  think  of  leaving 
your  children  to  spend  their  life  in  the  midst  of  it  1  Can  you  quit 
the  world  peaceably  till  what  you  can  do  has  been  done,  to  ferti- 
lize the  moral  waste,  over  which  you  expect  so  soon  to  cast  a  lin- 
gering, dying  look.  The  miseries  we  contemplate  are  contagious, 
and  may  when  we  have  done  with  life,  enter  our  habitations,  and 
prey  these  twenty  generations,  upon  our  children's  children.  If 
you  leave  one  infidel,  one  profane  man,  one  who  is  intemperate, 
one  Sabbath-breaker,  one  scoffer,  one  disorganizer,  unreformed, 
he  may  find  access  to  the  bosom  of  your  son,  may  carry  the  pes- 
tilence into  your  house,  may  spread  the  plagues  we  contemplate 
through  all  the  ranks  of  your  posterity  till  they  come  down  in  a 
mass  to  perdition. 

Would  it  not  render  you  happy  to  die  assured  that  you  had  been 
useful.  If  you  could  transport  yourself  to  some  isle  of  the  Pacific, 
and  by  your  influence  and  your  prayers  tame  and  evangelize  its 
whole  population,  would  it  not  seem  a  very  desirable  exploit  1 
You  may  do  all  this  good  at  home,  and  feel  as  joyous  at  last  as  if 
it  had  been  done  in  the  other  hemisphere,  and  for  another  people 


HEAVEN  S  CURE  FOR  THE  PLAGUES  OF  SIN.  175 

We  have  none  about  us  who  worship  a  block  of  wood,  but  we 
have  no  doubt  many  who  are  as  real  idolaters  as  can  be  found  in 
the  recesses  of  Tartary  or  on  the  banks  of  the  Ganges.  We  have 
none  who  lacerate  their  bodies  to  fit  themselves  for  heaven,  but 
there  are  many  who  inflict  upon  their  consciences  and  their  peace, 
wounds  deep  and  wide  and  incurable.  We  have  none  who  may 
not  have  the  word  of  God,  but  many  who  trample  its  precepts  un- 
der their  feet ;  none  without  a  Sabbath,  but  many  who  do  not 
sanctify  the  day  of  rest  ;  none  who  never  heard  the  gospel,  but 
many  who  never  obeyed  it ;  none  without  the  bread  that  perish- 
eth,  but  many  who  have  no  relish  for  that  bread  which  endureth 
to  everlasting  life.  Here  then,  on  the  hither  side  of  every  ocean, 
is  a  field  where  benevolence  may  operate  in  the  cure  of  distress, 
and  where  it  may  achieve  a  conquest  as  valuable  and  as  splendid, 
as  can  be  won  in  any  land  or  any  clime. 

V.  I  urge  you  to  benevolence  by  one  other  motive,  the  dying 
love  of  Christ.  It  was  in  the  cure  of  this  very  same  distress,  that 
he  came  in  the  flesh  and  died  on  the  tree.  He  was  rich,  but  for 
our  sakes  he  became  poor,  that  we  through  his  poverty  might  be 
rich.  He  came  to  seek  and  to  save  them  that  were  lost.  His 
heart  bled,  it  would  seem,  over  the  miseries  of  the  apostacy.  He 
felt  a  benevolence  which  to  gratify,  he  let  go  all  the  honors  of  the 
upper  world.  He  saw  us  cast  out  in  the  day  that  we  were  born, 
polluted,  and  in  our  blood ;  and  as  he  passed  by  us,  he  bid  us  live. 
But  he  could  only  redeem  us  with  his  own  blood.  If  he  would  be 
our  friend,  all  the  wrath  which  it  became  us  to  feel  he  must  en- 
dure. 

Now  the  same  world  that  he  pitied  so  much,  we  are  inviting 
vou  to  compassionate.  And  he  declared  himself  our  friend,  while 
we  were  all  his  enemies.  Probably  some  of  the  very  court  that 
condemned  him,  and  the  band  that  took  him,  and  the  guard  that 
watched  him,  purged  their  iniquities  in  his  blood.  Hence,  if  men 
hate  you  it  affords  no  reason  why  you  should  not  love  them. 
While  we  were  yet  enemies,  Christ  died  for  us. 

Enter  then  upon  the  work  of  making  your  fellow-men  happy, 
and  you  are  in  the  very  vineyard  where  the  Lord  Jesus  labored. 
He  has  already  rescued  from  the  ruins  of  the  apostacy,  a  great 
multitude  that  no  man  can  number.  The  work  is  going  on,  and 
he  invites  your  co-operation.  To  be  employed  with  him  will  be 
honorable,  and  will  secure  to  you  a  share  with  him  in  the  same 
victory,  and  the  same  awards.     "He  that   overcometh  will  I  grant 


176  heaven's  cure  for  the  plagues  of  sin. 

to  sit  with  me  on  my  throne  even  as  I  overcame  and  am  sat  down 
with  my  father  on  his  throne."  It  would  seem  that  no  one  could 
resist  the  motive  thus  presented.  By  all  that  Christ  has  done,  by 
every  tear  he  shed,  and  every  prayer  he  uttered,  and  every  pang 
he  bore,  you  are  urged  to  spend  your  strength,  and  utter  your 
prayers,  and  weep  your  tears,  in  the  cause  of  the  same  miserable 
multitude.  And  they  are  your  brethren,  they  were  nut  his.  I 
urge  you,  in  the  name  of  my  Master,  to  love  your  own  mother's 
cliildren,  those  who  are  flesh  of  your  flesh,  and  bone  of  your  bone. 
You  can  meet  no  man  but  a  brother,  you  can  hate  no  man  but  a 
brother,  you  are  invited  to  do  good  to  none  else. 

And  in  the  Lord  Jesus  you  are  not  only  presented  with  a  mo- 
tive to  become  benevolent,  but  you  have  a  pattern  by  which  that 
principle  should  operate.  It  is  said  of  him,  that  he  went  about 
doino-  good.  When  the  disciples  of  John  came  to  inquire  who  he 
was,  they  were  sent  away  with  this  history  of  him,  "The  blind 
see,  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  the  deaf  hear,  the 
dead  are  raised,  and  the  poor  have  the  gospel  preached  to  them." 
Thus  all  kinds  of  benefits  that  he  could  bestow  upon  a  miserable 
world  he  did.  His  main  object  was  to  save  the  soul,  and  here  he 
bent  his  mightiest  efforts,  because  here  could  be  applied  the  most 
efl^ectual  remedy  to  the  maladies  he  came  to  exterminate. 

But  he  could  see  misery  in  no  shape  and  feel  indifferent.  He 
took  our  sorrows  and  bore  our  sicknesses.  His  path  was  lined 
with  the  couches  of  the  palsied,  the  decrepit,  the  miserable;  and 
every  where  there  saluted  him  the  cry  of  some  blind  Bartinieus, 
"Lord  Jesus,  have  mercy  on  me."  And  he  could  suffer  no  such 
cry  to  be  suppressed  till  the  suff^erer  had  come  near  and  was  heal- 
ed. When  there  came  to  him  the  ten  lepers,  nine  of  whom  he 
knew  would  never  return  to  thank  him,  he  healed  the  whole.  The 
multitude  who  had  gone  into  a  desert  place  to  attend  upon  his 
ministry,  allhouofh  they  rejected  the  overtures  he  brought  them, 
still  must  not  be  sent  away  till  he  had  fed  them.  If  any  mother 
wished  him  to  bless  her  children,  they  must  open  her  an  avenue 
to  his  presence.  If  one  petitioned  for  the  life  of  his  servant,  he 
must  live.  If  even  a  Sidonian  would  ask  his  help,  although  it  was 
not  meet  to  take  the  children's  bread  and  cast  it  to  dogs,  and  al- 
though he  was  not  sent  but  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel, 
still  the  veriest  outcast  must  not  go  away  from  his  presence  with- 
out a  blessing.  Even  the  famishing  and  heretical  Samaritan  must 
drink  the  living  water  that  springeth  up  to  everlasting  life.  The 
very  man  who  had  come   to  take  him  must  not  leave  his  presence 


heaven's    CT7KE    FOR    THE   PLAGUES    OF    SIN.  177 

wounded;  and  the  tliief,  who  in  the  dying  hour  solicited  his  aid, 
must  go  with  him  to  paradise.  Into  every  ear  to  which  he  had  ac- 
cess he  poured  instruction  ;  every  house  he  entered  he  blessed  ; 
and  in  every  village,  and  every  street,  where  were  the  impress  of 
his  feet,  were  left  behind  him  the  fruits  of  his  benevolence.  Tell 
me  the  single  case  where  he  withheld  the  blessing  that  was  asked, 
and  you  may  go  and  do  likewise.  If  he  would  not  grant  to  James 
and  John  the  distinction  they  craved  in  his  kingdom,  that  being 
the  appropriate  appointment  of  tlie  Father,  still  he  would  suffer 
them  to  drink  of  the  cup  that  he  drank  of,  and  be  baptized  with 
his  baptism.  Thus  there  dropped  from  his  hand,  upon  the  beings 
that  came  about  him,  every  variety  of  blessings.  Who  has  not 
been  impressed  with  the  fact,  that  the  very  first  miracle  done  in 
C\iia  of  Calilee  had  respect  to  the  conveniences  of  a  marriage 
feast.  He  knew  that  if  he  should  turn  their  water  into  wine,  it 
would  supply  the  deficencies  of  poverty,  render  the  host  respected, 
and  the  occasion  more  pleasant. 

Thus  have  we  the  very  example  we  need.  The  benevolence 
which  we  are  called  to  exercise  must  take  the  same  track,  must 
flow  in  the  same  channel.  It  will  lead  us,  as  we  have  the  ability, 
to  do  every  kind  of  good  to  all  men  ;  to  supply  their  wants,  heal 
their  sicknesses,  enlighten  their  ignorance,  relieve  their  anxieties, 
awaken  their  consciences,  and  render  smooth,  and  safe,  and  pleas- 
ant, their  passage  through  this  desert  world.  It  will  lead  us  to 
feel  another's  wo,  and  weep  for  another's  misery.  When  the 
Lord  Jesus  approached  Jerusalem,  saw  them  about  to  reject  him, 
and  exclaimed,  weeping,  "  0  that  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou, 
in  this  thy  day,  the  things  that  belong  to  thy  peace ;  but  now  they 
are  hidden  from  thine  eyes,"  how  strongly  and  how  strikingly 
docs  he  pour  out  the  benevolence  of  his  soul.  Thus  we  are  to 
look  over  a  -woi'ld  of  beings  that  sin  has  rendered  miserable,  and 
weep  as  he  did  for  the  calamities  that  are  coming  upon  them. 
And  there  is  no  man  so  poor  or  insignificant  but  he  may  commun- 
icate happiness.  Let  him  add  his  weight,  if  it  be  but  a  grain,  to 
the  accumulating  mass  of  public  sentiment  that  is  now  attempting 
to  put  down  sin  and  misery  in  every  form  and  attitude,  and  he  will 
not  die  till  he  has  achieved  something  that  will  tell  to  his  credit 
in  the  day  of  retribution.  Some  field  of  labor  will  always  open  to 
the  industrious  if  they  will  enter  and  toil. 

REMARKS. 

1.  In  the  want  of  this  benevolence,  how  strong  is  the   proof  we 
VOL.  II.  23 


178  heaven's  cube  for  the  plagues  of  sin. 

have  that  men  are  wholly  depraved.  It  is  common  to  find  men 
who  are  willing  to  do  good  to  their  families  and  friends,  to  wish 
them  prosperity  and  advancement,  but  if  their  kindness  goes  no 
farther,  all  is  selfish.  How  few  cast  a  look  of  sympathy  over  the 
whole  surface  of  misery.  This  none  do  but  believers,  else  others 
too  would  fulfil  the  law,  and  would  be  safe.  Now  men  that  cannot 
love  their  fellow-men,  their  brethren  whom  they  have  seen,  how 
can  they  love  God  whom  they  have  not  seen  1  How  can  that  heart 
be  possessed  of  holiness  that  aches  not  at  the  miseries  which  sully 
this  otherwise  beautiful  world  1  And  how  can  the  heart  ache  over 
woes  which  the  hands  are  not  employed  in  lessening  or  annihilat- 
ing 1  Thus  the  second  table  of  the  law,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself,"  will  be  as  swift  a  witness  in  the  great  day 
against  the  human  family  as  the  first.  A  totally  selfish  heart  v/ill 
find  it  as  much  impossible  to  put  forth  a  benevolent  aflection  to- 
ward man  as  toward  God.  In  either  case,  it  sadly  interferes  with 
our  native  self-supremacy. 

2.  We  see  the  necessity  that  men  should  be  renewed.  Here 
lies  our  only  hope  that  they  will  exercise  the  benevolence  of  the 
gospel.  Till  then  they  will  fight  and  rage,  and  rave,  will  render 
themselves  unhappy,  and  all  others  with  whom  they  come  in  con- 
tact. Till  then  the  war  will  continue  in  the  family,  the  neighbor- 
hood, the  town,  the  state,  and  the  world.  It  is  a  cheering  thought, 
that  God  has  continued  to  us  the  means  of  curing  that  deadliest 
evil  of  the  apostacy,  a  selfish  heart.  Without  this  nothing  could 
have  ever  cradled  the  corrupt  passions  on  a  larger  scale  or  small- 
er, and  this  poor  world  could  have  hoped  for  no  respite  from  the 
plagues  that  waste  its  treasures  and  its  health,  and  darkens,  to  the 
blackness  of  midnight,  its  immortal  prospects.  0,  come  that  day, 
when  the  chief  physician  shall  ply  his  skill,  and  change  the  hearts 
of  men,  and  thus  -cure  at  one  wondrous  touch  their  thousand 
plagues.  In  any  world  a  selfish  heart,  the  opposite  of  love,  would 
render  men  unhappy.  Place  selfish  hearts  in  heaven,  and  they 
would  there  be  as  fruitful  as  elsewhere  in  misery. 

3.  How  pleasant  is  the  prospect  of  a  millennium.  Then  the 
benevolence  we  contemplate  will  become  general.  Men  will  be 
employed  in  rendering  each  other  happy.  "  The  wolf  also  shall 
dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid ; 
and  the  calf,  and  the  young  lion,  and  the  fatling  together  ;  and  a 
little  child  shall  lead  them.  And  the  cow  and  the  bear  shall  feed; 
their  young  ones  shall  lie  down  together  :  and  the  lion  shall  eat 
.straw  like  the  ox.     And  the  suckling  child  shall  play  on  the  hole 


heaven's  cure  for  the  plagues  of  sin.  179 

of  the  asp,  and  the  vveanod  child  shall  put  his  hand  on  the  cocka- 
trice's den."  If  by  that  promise  that  all  shall  know  the  Lord  from 
the  least  even  to  the  greatest,  we  are  not  to  understand  that  every 
individual  heart  shall  be  made  holy,  still  so  many  hearts  will  be 
sanctified  that  the  prevailing  influence  on  earth  shall  be  a  religious 
influence,  and  the  paramount  aflection  love.  How  easily  then  will 
all  bad  habits  be  corrected,  how  useless  be  bolts  and  bars,  and 
criminal  laws,  and  fortifications;  and  how  done  for  ever  litigations, 
and  scandal,  and  alienations,  and  broken  hearts,  and  ruined  charac- 
ter, and  bankruptcy,  and  imprisonment.  Then  this  world,  so  long 
a  raging  ocean,  will  become  at  length  a  peaceful  pool,  reflecting 
the  image  of  its  Maker.  Then  God  will  delight  in  us,  and  an- 
gels love  to  watch  over  us. 

4.  The  subject  will  lead  us  to  think  with  pleasure  of  heaven. 
How  pleasant  is  the  thought  of  being  removed  from  all  this  mise- 
ry, and  of  being  where  there  will  reign  a  universal  benevolence. 
Every  angel,  and  every  redeemed  spirit  will  be  willing  that  other 
angels,  and  other  spirits  should  be  as  happy  as  himself.  And 
the  grand  employment  of  heaven  will  be  to  communicate  hap- 
piness. God  they  will  love  supremely,  but  as  God  is  infinitely 
happy,  and  will  not  need  their  service,  they  will  no  doubt  be 
employed  everlastingly  in  making  other  beings  happy.  Thus  they 
will  be  workers  together  with  God  :  for  it  is  thus  that  God  is  em- 
ployed, and  thus  angels.  See  them  at  Sodom,  see  them  at  Baby- 
lon with  Daniel,  see  them  at  Bethlehem,  with  the  shepherds,  and 
in  the  garden  with  the  agonizing  Redeemer.  0,  it  is  pleasant  in 
this  dark  and  perturbed  world,  to  have  a  heaven  to  think  of,  and  a 
heaven  to  hope  for,  where  there  will  reign  for  ever  an  unqualified 
friendship,  and  our  prayer,  and  our  song,  and  our  employ  be  the 
prayer,  and  the  song,  and  the  employ  of  all. 

5.  The  subject  renders  a  place  of  misery  desirable.  0,  let 
these  discordant  passions  one  day  find  a  w^orld  where  they  may 
live  alone!  If  it  does  not  comport  with  the  purpose  of  God  to 
eradicate  them  all,  by  sanctifying  the  hearts  in  which  they  pre- 
dominate, let  them  be  all  congregated  together,  and  no  more  dis- 
turb the  peace  and  the  quiet  of  those  in  whose  hearts  they  do  not 
reign.  It  is  verily  believed  that  when  the  whole  design  of  dig- 
ging a  bottomless  pit,  and  kindling  a  quenchless  fire  shall  be 
known,  and  the  beings  judged  who  are  there  congregated,  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  universe  could  not  have  been  perfect  without  a 
hell  any  more  than  a  town  or  county  could  have  done  without  a 
prison  and  a  gallows.     And  all  the  people  shall  say  amen. 


SERiAION    LVII. 
CHRIST  CONDUCTS  TO  HEAVEN  A  HOLY  PEOPLE. 

TITUS  II.  14. 

Willi  gave  himself  for  ua,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquiiy,  and  purify  unto  himself  a 

peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works. 

]\IoRE  than  eighteen  hundred  years  since,  we  were  visited  by  a 
stranger  from  a  foreign  world.  Two  questions  were  immediately 
agitated.  Who  is  he  1  and  What  his  errand  1  He  settled  them 
both ;  but  they  have  come  up,  again  and  again,  to  the  present  day. 
A  previous  discourse  had  a  bearing  upon  the  first  of  these  ques- 
tions, and  the  text  now  before  us  will  require  us  to  attend  to  the 
second.  It  is  selected,  you  will  remember,  from  that  very  book 
which  he  left  with  us,  on  purpose  to  answer  every  inquiry  that 
men  would  need  to  make  respecting  himself  and  his  mission.  We 
learn  in  the  context,  who  it  was  that  thus  gave  himself  for  us: 
"The  great  God,  even  our  Savior  Jesus  Christ." 

My  readers  are  aware,  that  the  same  men,  who  deny  that  our 
Savior  Jesus  Christ  is  the  great  God,  differ  as  widely  from  the 
apostle,  relative  to  the  part  he  acted  for  us.  They  would  allow 
that  he  was  commissioned  to  make  known  to  us  the  will  of  God, 
especially  the  fact  of  a  resurrection,  which  nature  did  not  reveal, 
and  establish  Christian  ordinances,  and  set  us  an  example  of  vir- 
tue. That  his  death  was  vicarious,  or  a  substitute  for  our  con- 
demnation, they  would  generally,  and  I  presume  universally  deny. 

Now,  if  we  need  a  Savior  to  do  more  for  us  than  this,  then  we 
neel,  not  the  one  they  offer,  but  whom  the  apostle  exhibits  to  our 
view  in  the  text.  If  my  sins  must  be  atoned  for,  if  an  evil  heart 
of  unbelief  must  be  removed,  and  when  sanctified,  I  must  still  be 
accepted  through  the  merits  and  the  righteousness  of  another, 
then  I  need  a  Savior  to  do  more  for  me  than  teach  me  truth,  and 
give  me  ordinances,  and  be  my  pattern  in  virtue. 

Had  my  ruin  consisted  merely  in  having  lost  a  knowledge  of 
God  and  duty,  an  angel  might  have  become  my  instructor,  and  his 
example  would  have  answered  me  the  same  purpose,  as  that  of 
the  Son  of  God.     It  would  have  seemed  in  that  case  wholly  unne- 


CHRIST    CONDUCTS    TO    HEAVEN    A    HOLY    FEOPLE.  181 

cessary,  that  God  should  be  manifest  in  the  flesh.  But  if  the 
whole  heart  was  faint,  as  well  as  the  whole  head  sick  ;  if  there 
hung  over  us  the  curse  of  a  broken  law,  and  we  were  so  alienated 
from  God  as  to  be  content  in  perpetual  exile  from  his  service  and 
his  fellowship  ;  then  both  instruction  and  example,  if  nothing  more 
were  done,  would  be  wholly  lost  upon  me. 

What  can  it  avail  to  present  truth  or  exhibit  purity,  before  a 
mind  that  disrelishes  moral  beauty,  unless  provision  is  made  to 
subdue  the  aversion  of  the  heart "?  And  even  then,  how  could  I 
be  happy  with  the  curse  of  a  broken  commandment  pendent  over 
my  head  \  O,  give  me  such  a  Savior  as  Paul  describes,  or  when 
all  is  done,  there  is  left  undone  the  main  thing  requisite  to  my 
obedience  and  my  blessedness.  If  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  came 
merely  to  instruct  me,  so  did  the  prophets  and  the  apostles  j  and 
their  example,  had  their  hearts  been  perfectly  holy,  would  have 
been  all  I  needed  on  this  point ;  and  thus  either  of  them  might 
have  been  my  Savior  as  really  as  he  who  is  now  frequently  ex- 
hibited as  the  only  Redeemer. 

If  I  must  be  content  with  a  Savior  who  is  merely  my  school- 
master, I  am  led  to  ask.  Why  so  much  said  of  him  previously  to 
his  advent  \  Did  prophets  anticipate  his  approach  many  thousand 
years ;  and  martyrs  hang  their  hopes  on  him  so  long ;  and  angels 
announce  his  ingress,  soon  as  the  time  was  out  5  and  spent  the 
night  by  his  manger;  and  a  voice  from  heaven  name  him  the 
Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world ;  and  was  this 
mighty  personage,  who  so  long  held  a  world  in  agonized  suspense, 
merely  some  teacher  coming  to  do  for  us  what  any  man,  if  com- 
missioned, could  have  done  as  well  \  Is  Jehovah  accustomed  thus 
to  pour  honor  upon  a  creature,  sent  on  an  errand  no  more  grand 
than  this  \ 

"  Is  ocean  into  tempest  wrought, 

To  waft  a  feather,  or  to  drown  a  fly  ?" 

No  man  can  have  a  very  deep  sense  of  sin,  and  not  feel  his  need 
of  having  done  for  him  more  than  all  this.  He  who  owes  ten 
thousand  talents,  and  has  nothing  to  pay,  will  need  a  Savior  who 
can  take  that  debt  upon  him.  He  who  has  drawn  upon  himself 
the  denunciations  of  his  Maker's  law,  will  need  a  Savior  to  bear 
that  burden  for  him.  He  who  has  a  carnal  mind,  that  is  enmity 
against  God,  is  not  subject  to  his  law  nor  can  be,  will  wish  a  Sa- 
vior who  can  subdue  that  heart  to  loyalty  and  duty.  And  he  who, 
after  all  this  is   done,  dare   not  hope  for  heaven,  unless  taken  by 


182  CHRIST    CONDUCTS    TO    HEAVEN 

the  hand  by  some  mighty  Prince,  and  led  every  inch  of  the  way 
till  he  is  within  its  threshold,  will  inquire  if  no  such  Captain  of  his 
salvation  is  provided  1  And  he  will  open  his  Bible,  and  read  a 
single  sentence,  and  there,  the  great  God,  even  our  Savior  Jesus 
Christ,  for  whose  appearing  to  judge  the  world  his  people  are 
looking,  is  the  very  protector  and  friend  he  needs  ;  "Who  gave 
himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity  and  purify 
unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works,"  The  text 
furnishes  a  natural  division  of  thought,  and  will  need  the  aid  of  no 
numerical  distinctions. 

Who  gave  himself  for  us.  His  presentation  at  the  altar  of  justice, 
as  our  victim,  was  his  own  act.  He  is  not  seized  and  bound,  as 
the  barbarous  nations  secure  their  victims,  willing  or  unwilling ; 
nor  comes  to  the  altar  as  Isaac  did,  not  knowing  where  the  lamb 
was  for  a  burnt  offering.  He  had  power  to  lay  down  his  life,  and 
power  to  take  it  up  again.  J\'ot  merely  was  he  given,  although  this 
was  true,  but  he  gave  himself.  And  it  was  not  merely  his  Hme^ 
and  strength,  and  patience,  that  he  gave,  as  instructers  do,  but  his 
life.  How  easily  could  he  have  blighted  all  our  hopes  in  that 
dark  hour.  Had  he  sent  Judas  to  his  own  place,  or  rendered  him 
an  honest  man,  Avhen  he  came  to  steal  the  betraying  kiss;  or  had 
he  struck  lifeless  that  midnight  band,  that  came  to  apprehend 
him ;  or  had  he  let  down  into  hell  that  senate  chamber,  with  its 
mass  of  hypocrisy;  and  paralized  the  sinews  of  that  soldiery  that 
crucified  him  ;  then  had  there  been  none  to  betray,  arrest,  or  mur- 
der the  Lamb  of  God.  And  he  had  all  this  power  in  himself,  else 
he  did  not  give  himself.  He  who  goes  to  death  without  his  choice, 
by  a  power,  human  or  divine,  that  he  cannot  control,  cannot  be 
said  to  lay  down  his  life  :  his  life  is  taken  from  him. 

But  the  Sufferer  of  Calvary,  when  he  left  the  bosom  of  the  Fa- 
ther, had  his  eye  fixed,  and  through  his  whole  life  kept  it  fixed 
upon  the  scene  of  the  cross,  as  the  finishing  act  of  his  humiliation, 
and  felt  not  that  his  work  was  done  till  he  yielded  his  life.  Hence, 
while  it  is  true  that  the  Father  gave  his  Son,  it  is  equally  true  that 
the  Son  gave  himself.  He  was  as  voluntary  in  redeemi?ig  the  world, 
as  in  the  act  that  built  it. 

Who  gave  himself/or  us.  Here  each  word  has  meaning.  Who 
are  we  to  understand  by  us  ?  Not  Paul  himself  and  the  good  bro- 
ther in  the  gospel  to  whom  he  wrote,  merely.  If  another  apostle 
may  decide,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  "  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins  ;  and  not  for  ours  only,  l,_4  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world."     I  have  no  wish  now  to  enter  the  list  in  that  controversy, 


A   HOLY   PEOPLE.  183 

which  never  should  have  been  among  brethren  who  hold  the 
Head,  whether  the  atonement,  as  distinguished  from  redemp- 
tion, is  o•e7^er«/ or  limited.  Those  who  do  not  distinguish  atone- 
ment from  redemption,  must  limit  it,  or  avow  the  salvation  of  all 
men  ;  and  those  who  do  thus  distinguish,  may  with  propriety  make 
atonement  general,  and  still  are  not  accountable  for  a  consequence, 
which  is  made  to  follow,  not  on  their  principles,  but  that  of  their 
opponents. 

Is  there  not  a  common  ground,  where  those  who  love  the  truth 
can  and  must  meet  1  Neither  of  the  parties  to  whom  I  now  refer, 
assert,  that  God  has  purposed  or  will  accomplish  the  salvation  of 
all  men,  through  the  atonement  of  Christ ;  nor  on  the  other  hand, 
will  deny,  that  the  atonement  places  the  human  family  at  large, 
in  circumstances  happily  differing  from  that  of  devils.  To  meu 
there  go  out  overtures  of  mercy,  to  devils  none.  But  does  it  not 
follow,  that  if  mercy  is  offered,  and  the  offer  sincere,  salvation  is 
possible  ;  that  is,  the  obstructions  are  removed  on  the  part  of  God, 
that  would  have  kept  men  from  heaven,  even  had  they  repented  '! 
and  this  is  precisely  what  I  understand  those  to  mean,  who  make 
the  atonement  general.  The  death  of  Christ  rendered  it  possible 
for  God  to  save,  without  dishonoring  his  law,  or  weakening"  his 
government,  as  many  as  it  should  please  him  to  sanctify. 

And  what  is  the  force  of  the  preposition,  for  us  1  Can  it  mean 
less  or  more,  than  that  the  death  of  Christ  was  a  substitute  for  our 
condemnation!  This  idea  is  certainly  consonant  with  the  whole 
drift  of  revelation.  "He  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our 
sorrows  ;  he  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for 
our  iniquities ;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him  ;  and 
with  his  stripes  we  are  healed : — the  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the 
iniquity  of  us  all : — for  the  transgressions  of  my  people  was  he 
stricken."  Thus  the  griefs,  and  the  sorrows,  and  the  wounds,  and 
the  bruises,  the  chastisements,  and  the  stripes,  all  fell  on  him  by 
substitution,  and  were  borne  instead  of  the  everlasting  miseries 
of  hell,  which  we  must  have  borne,  had  he  not  offered  himself  as 
our  ransom. 

The  apostle  proceeds  to  make  known  to  us  the  design  witli 
which  the  Savior  gave  himself  for  us,  "  That  he  might  redeem  us 
from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  us'''  There  are  here  included  par- 
don and  sanctification. 

First,  pardon.  The  sinner  can  neither  be  considered  as  re- 
deemed from  iniquity,  or  purified,  while  his  conscience  is  polluted 
with  unpardoned  sin.     He  is  still  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  has 


184)  CHRIST    CONDUCTS    TO    HEAVEN 

the  brand  of  infamy  upon  him,  and  the  badges  of  death  around 
him.  Hence,  when  he  believes,  and  pardon  can  be  administered, 
without  injury  to  the  Divine  government,  his  cleansing  from  the 
defilement  of  sin  is  begun.  There  is  a  text  in  one  of  the  minor 
prophets,  which  though  spoken  with  reference  to  the  Church,  is 
beautifully  expressive  of  this  first  act  of  God's  mercy  to  sinners. 
"  Who  is  a  God  like  unto  thee,  that  pardoneth  iniquity,  and  pass- 
eth  by  the  transgressions  of  the  remnant  of  his  heritage  1  He  re- 
taineth  not  his  anger  for  ever,  because  he  delighted  in  mercy. 
He  will  turn  again  ;  he  will  have  compassion  upon  us ;  he  will 
subdue  our  iniquities  ;  and  thou  wilt  cast  all  their  sins  into  the 
depths  of  the  sea.''  And  in  another  text  it  reads,  "  Their  sins  and 
their  iniquities  will  i  remember  no  more."  And  we  have  the  de- 
lightful idea  ot  forgiveness  in  this  text,  "  That  thou  mayest  re- 
member, and  be  confounded,  and  never  open  thy  mouth  any  more, 
because  of  thy  shame,  when  I  am  pacified  toward  thee  for  all  that 
thou  hast  done,  saith  the  Lord  God."  The  very  first  act  of  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  secures  this  blessing,  and  we  stand, 
though  not  on  the  same  footing  as  if  we  had  never  sinned,  yet  the 
same  as  relates  to  our  exposedness  to  the  penalties  of  the  law. 
The  transgressions  of  the  law,  that  had  been  minuted  against  us 
in  the  record  of  the  Divine  mind,  are  blotted  out.  God  even 
speaks  as  if  he  would  forget  them,  and  never  suffer  them  to  come 
into  his  mind  again. 

But  pardon,  as  rich  a  blessing  as  it  is,  to  a  sinner  made  sensible 
of  his  gross  and  dreadful  departure  from  God,  holds  a  place  second 
in  importance  to  that  of  sanctification.  Hence  to  purify  us,  was 
an  important  part  of  the  work  which  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  came 
to  do  for  us  ;  by  which  I  understand,  delivering  us  from  the  power 
of  sinful  affections.  This  is  done  through  the  immediate  agency 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  is  ascribed  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  inas- 
much as  the  Spirit  acts  a  part  in  the  economy  of  redemption,  sub- 
ordinate to  that  of  the  Mediator,  and  is  spoken  of  as  sent  by  him. 
He  takes  away  the  heart  of  stone  and  gives  a  heart  of  flesh,  and 
creates  us  anew  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works.  Christ  is  formed 
in  his  people  the  hope  of  glory  ;  his  image  is  impressed  on  the 
heart ;  and  the  lineaments  of  that  image  are  drawn  out  to  yiew  in 
deeds  of  loyalty  and  duty. 

Thus  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  brings  his  people  to  feel  like  him, 
to  love  his  character,  his  law,  his  government,  and  kingdom,  and 
all  the  duties  of  piety,  and  benevolence.  And  his  purpose  and 
promise  is,  that  where  he  has  begun  a  good  work  he  will  carry  it 


A   HOLY   PEOPLE.  185 

on,  till  all  moral  pollution  is  eradicated.  Thus  the  character  of 
man,  under  the  transforming  influence  spoken  of  in  the  text,  is 
changed,  till,  in  a  moral  point  of  view,  he  is  no  longer  the  same 
man.  From  being  a  child  of  wrath  fitting  for  destruction,  he  be- 
comes an  heir  of  God,  and  a  candidate  for  glory,  honor,  immor- 
tality, and  eternal  life.  The  desire  to  be  holy,  and  so  like  his 
Master,  becomes  his  ruling  passion.  In  his  estimation  conformity 
to  God,  in  the  whole  temper  of  his  mind,  is  the  greatest  good  j 
and  no  hope  gives  him  such  a  joy,  as  when  he  can  say  with  con- 
fidence, "  Then  shall  I  be  satisfied  when  I  wake  with  thy  likeness." 

While  the  followers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  are  thus  under  a  process 
of  sanctification,  they  become,  as  a  matter  of  course  in  a  world 
like  this,  a  peculiar  people.  They  have  desires,  and  hopes,  and 
enjoyments,  and  fears,  and  aversions,  such  as  are  found  in  no 
other  people.  They  have  another  employment,  and  form  other 
habits,  and  sustain  new  relationships,  and  enter  new  society,  and 
in  their  speech  and  demeanor,  embracing  a  thousand  nameless 
things,  become  a  peculiar  people.  Whatever  pains  they  may  take 
to  conceal  their  peculiarities,  they  become  and  continue  like  no 
other  people  on  the  face  of  th'e  whole  earth.  And  the  more  they 
act  in  character  ;  the  nearer  they  live  to  their  Master,  the  more 
sure  are  they  to  widen  the  contrast  between  themselves,  and  the 
world  of  the  ungodly.  Hence  the  world  will  soon  know  them, 
and  break  from  their  fellowship,  and  cast  out  their  names  as  evil ; 
and  Christ  will  receive  them,  and  be  a  God  unto  them,  and  they 
shall  be  his  people. 

They  are  zealous  of  good  works.  Here  perhaps  more  than  at 
any  other  point  is  seen  their  peculiarity.  The  promptness,  the 
pains,  and  the  sacrifices  manifested  in  doing  good,  render  them  the 
perfect  contrast  of  anything  seen  in  the  habits  of  unsanctified  men. 
Hence  the  fact  is  not  to  be  disputed,  that  the  personal  efforts,  and 
charities  that  have  been  expended  upon  human  misery,  degrada- 
tion, and  contempt,  have  been  the  efforts  and  the  charities  of  this 
peculiar  people.  On  the  list  of  this  world's  benefactors  their 
names  are  arranged  alone,  and  the  catalogue  will  tell  to  their  ad- 
vantage in  that  day  when  the  Savior  shall  be  heard  to  say,  "  I  was 
an  hungred,  and  ye  gave  me  meat :  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me 
drink  ;  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in  :  naked,  and  ye  clothed 
me  :  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me  :  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came 
unto  me." 

The  ungodly  may  have  fits  of  charitable  feeling,  when  provision 
is  to  be  made  exclusively  for  the  life  that  now  is  j  but  their  chari- 

voL.  II.  24< 


18B  CHRIST    CONDUCTS    TO    HEAVEN 

ties  do  not  usually  extend  in  their  effects  beyond  the  grave. 
When  urged  to  enlighten  those  that  know  not  God,  or  snatch  from 
death  those  that  have  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ; 
they  lack  the  faith  that  can  give  importance  to  these  religious  and 
spiritual  realities.  And  yet  here,  where  the  tender  mercies  of  the 
wicked  are  cruel,  is  the  very  spot  where  the  godly  display  their 
warmest  zeal,  and  make  their  best,  their  mightiest  efforts.  The 
zeal  of  God's  people  is  uniform  and  extensive,  and  does  not,  like 
"  crackling  thorns  and  burning  coals,  make  a  great  blaze  and  die." 
It  grows  out  of  the  combined  influence  of  the  Christian  affections, 
or  rather  is  the  Christian  affections  concentrated,  and  pouring  out 
their  energies  upon  the  object  of  their  commisseration  or  praise. 

Christian  zeal  aims  to  render  this  world  what  God  would  have 
it ;  to  draw  it  back,  from  alienation  and  misery,  to  subjection  and 
enjoyment.  It  would  cure  every  species  of  plague  and  suffering, 
and  render  holy,  respected,  and  happy  every  child  of  the  fall.  And 
when  me7i  need  not  its  aid,  would  compassionate  the  animal  crea- 
tion, till  not  a  worm  should  suffer.  Thus  will  operate  the  zeal 
that  piety  begets,  and  thus  the  redeemed  of  Jesus  Christ,  will  be 
rendered,  in  a  world  cold  and  friendless  like  this,  a  peculiar  people. 
There  is  still  another  thought  in  this  text,  which  though  last  is 
not  least.  These  redeemed,  and  peculiar,  and  zealous  beings,  Je- 
sus Christ  is  said  to  purify  unto  himself.  I  see  a  very  precious 
thought  here  :  they  belong  finally  to  him.  They  were  given  him 
in  the  covenant  of  redemption.  Hence  we  hear  him  say,  in  that 
remarkable  prayer  just  before  he  suffered,  "  I  have  manifested  thy 
name  unto  the  men  which  thou  gavest  me  out  of  the  world."  And 
lest  any  should  draw  a  wrong  inference  from  the  fact  thai  as  Me- 
diator he  was  a  recipient,  he  addresses  the  Father  again,  and  says, 
"  All  mine  are  thine,  and  thine  are  mine."  His  people  are  to  be 
his  associates  for  ever  ;  his  family  ;  his  friends  ;  his  admirers,  and 
his  worshipers.  "  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast  given  me 
be  with  me  where  I  am  ;  that  they  may  behold  my  glory." 

There  is  something  in  this  thought  which  to  me  bespeaks  the 
Savior  Divine.  Were  he  a  mere  servant,  were  he  less  than  the 
very  builder  and  proprietor  of  this  world,  he  could  not  have  been 
oriven  a  commission  of  such  a  nature,  as  to  entitle  him  to  possess, 
and  call  his  own,  the  beings  he  should  save  :  else  it  would  not  be 
true,  that  the  Eternal  cannot  give  his  glory  to  another.  Thus  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  came  to  redeem  to  himself,  by  his  death,  a  pe- 
culiar people,  zealous  of  good  works.  I  close  with  a  few 
paragraphs  of 


A   HOLY   PEOPLE.  187 

EXPOSTULATION, 

With  such  as  cannot  relish  this  mortifying  gospel.  I  am  fully 
aware,  and  lament  it,  that  every  position  taken  in  this  discourse  is 
controverted  ;  and  my  apology  for  the  view  I  have  given,  is,  that 
I  could  in  honesty  give  no  other. 

Man's  lost  and  desperate  condition,  requiring  an  atonement,  is 
found  in  one  shape  and  another,  on  almost  every  page  of  the  Bi- 
ble, and  his  safety  depends  on  knowing  it,  and  the  gospel  was  sent 
to  acquaint  him  with  it ;  hence  this  must  be  a  radical  truth  in  every 
message  which  we  carry  from  God  to  man.  Moreover,  we  see 
men  exhibit  that  temper,  and  form  those  habits,  which  would  teach 
us  their  ruin,  if  we  had  not  been  taught  it  from  heaven.  Now  a 
truth  that  comes  to  us  so  confirmed,  we  must  receive,  and  must 
proclaim ;  and  if  men  will  not  believe  it,  or  if  they  do  not  choose 
to  lay  it  to  heart,  we  can  only  say  with  the  prophet,  "  If  ye  will 
not  hear,  my  soul  shall  weep  in  secret  places  for  your  pride."  If 
you  can  keep  your  apostacy  a  secret  from  your  fellow-men,  or 
from  angels,  or  from  devils,  do  ;  and  if  you  can  hide  the  shame 
of  it,  do  ;  and  if  by  such  a  course  you  can  escape  the  dire  conse- 
quences of  that  apostacy,  do.  We  wish  you  safe,  and  wish  you 
happy,  and  if  you  know  of  a  safer  or  happier  course  than  this  gos- 
pel presents,  you  have  but  to  make  the  experiment.  But  then  re- 
member, if  your  experiment  fails,  and  you  do  not  find  out  your 
ruin  till  death,  you  must  not  calculate  that  your  mistake  can  then 
be  corrected. 

If  you  are  conscious  of  some  depravity,  and  still  cannot  make 
up  your  mind  to  owe  your  redemption  to  the  death  of  Christ,  then 
you  must  reject  the  Bible  or  explain  it  as  you  can.  The  text  says 
he  gave  himself  {ov  us.  And  we  hear  him  say,  "I  lay  down  my 
life  for  the  sheep."  And  many  scriptures  that  have  been  quoted, 
and  more  that  might,  seem  evidently  to  put  his  blood  in  the  place 
of  ours,  and  heal  us,  if  we  are  ever  healed  by  his  stripes. 

Why  object  to  the  idea  that  he  died  for  us.  Does  it  too  much 
degrade  and  blacken  the  human  character,  that  we  must  thus  come 
as  it  were  to  the  place  of  execution,  and  have  the  halter  about  our 
neck,  and  there  stand  and  see  another  take  our  place,  and  hang 
upon  the  tree  in  our  stead  \  I  know  it  will  be  the  everlasting  dis- 
grace of  our  world,  that  we  should  have  so  conducted  as  to  ren- 
der it  necessary  that  Christ  should  die  for  us.  But  it  will  deepen 
our  disgrace,  if  we  deny  the  fact,  and  assign  some  other  reason, 
not  the  true  one,  why  the  Lord  of  glory  was  hanged  on  a  tree. 
We  shall  crucify  him  afresh,  and  put  him  to  open  shame. 


J88  CHRIST    CONDUCTS    TO    HEAVEN 

If  his  was  not  a  vicarious  death,  why  did  he  die  \  Do  you 
answer,  "  Death  hath  passed  upon  all  men  for  that  all  have  sin- 
ned." Then  it  seems  you  make  him  a  sinner  1  But  the  good  Book 
assures  me,  that  there  was  no  guile  found  in  his  mouth.  Satan 
came  and  found  nothing  in  him.  He  was  a  Lamb  without  spot. 
Do  you  say  that  he  died  to  finish  out  his  obedience  ?  Obedience 
to  what  law  ?  Does  the  law  of  God  require  that  his  perfectly  obe- 
dient subjects  should  die  1  or  is  death  there  made  the  wages  of 
sin  1  I  see  no  demand  for  his  death,  unless  he  died /or  us,  or  was 
a  sinner.  If  you  are  not  driven  to  the  same  alternative  and  can 
invent  a  third  reason,  more  satisfactory,  you  must  adopt  it,  and 
make  the  Bible  bear  you  out  in  it  if  you  can. 

Do  you  object  to  this  gospel  because  it  requires  that  you  be 
purified?  Then  it  seems  you  doubt  whether  sin  has  polluted  youl 
And  if  so  why  have  any  gospel  1  or  do  you  choose  to  carry  all  your 
moral  deformity  with  you  into  the  grave,  and  into  eternity '(  and 
if  so,  then  we  understand  you.  You  have  only  to  let  the  gospel 
alone  then,  and  let  others,  who  Avould  not  choose  to  die  in  their 
sins,  have  the  benefit  of  its  overtures. 

A  gospel  that  shall  not  render  men  holy,  can  be  worth  nothing. 
It  may  gather,  and  baptize,  and  cast  the  enclosures  of  a  covenant, 
about  a  congregation  of  worldlings,  but  if  it  have  no  purifying  ef- 
fect, it  will  leave  them  still  the  children  of  their  father  the  devil. 
They  will  be  as  fair  candidates  for  perdition,  when  such  a  gospel 
shall  have  exerted  upon  them  its  mightiest  influence,  as  when  its 
first  accent  broke  upon  their  ear.  But  a  gospel  like  that  which 
Paul  preached,  must  urge  the  claims  of  the  Divine  law,  and  press 
men  to  break  off  their  sins  by  righteousness,  and  turn  their  feet  to 
God's  testimonies.  It  will  gather  motives  to  holiness  from  all 
worlds,  from  the  fear  of  hell,  from  the  hope  of  heaven,  from  the 
comfort  of  the  present  life,  and  especially  from  the  love  of  Christ  j 
for  it  will  "  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead  : 
and  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they  which  live  should  not  hence- 
forth live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  which  died  for  them,  and 
rose  again."  Now  let  us  be  prudent  enough  to  have  this  very 
gospel,  or  none.  If  we  wish  merely  to  be  amused,  let  us  not  em- 
ploy a  gospel  to  do  it,  but  the  pipe,  the  timbrel,  and  the  dance. 
If  we  care  not  how  much  pollution  adheres  to  us  when  we  are 
judged,  then  let  us  cast  the  gospel  and  the  whole  Bible  from  us, 
and  enter  into  a  covenant  with  death,  and  make  an  agreement 
with  hell,  and  eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die. 

But  you  dislike  the  peculiarity  urged  upon  believers  in  the  gos- 


A   HOLY    PEOPLE.  189 

pel.  You  wish  not  to  be  singular,  and  be  cast  out  of  the  world 
while  you  remain  in  it.  Well,  we  simply  say,  that  there  can  be 
no  gospel  gathered  from  the  Bible,  that  does  not  urge  it,  nor  Chris- 
tian character  without  it.  If  the  truth  must  render  men  holy,  it 
must,  in  a  world  like  ours,  render  them  'peculiar.  In  two  respects 
the  good  man,  from  the  moment  he  is  born  of  God,  becomes  un- 
like the  men  of  this  world.  All  the  features  of  depravity  that  are 
cast  from  his  character,  and  the  features  of  holiness  ingrafted  on 
it,  will  tend  to  render  him  peculiar.  Thus  in  two  directions  will 
the  difference  widen,  and  will  go  on  extending  through  time  and 
through  eternity.  '  To  produce  this  peculiarity  is  the  very  design 
of  the  gospel ;  for  men  by  nature  are  unlike  God,  and  the  gospel, 
when  it  produces  its  legitimate  effect,  renders  men  like  God. 
Hence,  unless  it  sanctify  all  men,  or  the  regenerate  are  taken  im- 
mediately to  heaven,  it  must  introduce  into  society  a  peculiar  peo- 
ple. If  you  are  offended  with  this  peculiarity,  then  you  need  not 
put  it  on.  You  can  live  in  this  world  without  it,  and  you  can  die 
without  it,  but  you  can  not  live  in  heaven  without  it. 

That  zeal  begotten  in  his  people  by  the  grace  of  God,  consti- 
tutes I  know  the  most  offensive  feature  of  their  peculiarity.  But 
God's  people  cannot  be  without  it,  and  please  him.  And  he  has 
never  promised  to  render  his  people  what  the  world  can  admire. 
"  If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world  would  love  his  own,  but  be- 
cause ye  are  not  of  the  world,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the 
world,  therefore  shall  the  world  hate  you."  You  need  have  noth- 
ing to  do  with  his  people,  or  imbibe  their  zeal  if  it  offends  you 
There  is  current  a  gospel,  and  you  can  attend  upon  it,  that  pours 
out  against  this  zeal  the  whole  torrent  of  its  invective.  It  would 
nourish  a  cold  philosophical  religion,  that  shall  never  reach  or 
warm  the  heart,  that  will  have  but  little  to  do  with  prayer,  or 
praise,  or  holy  feeling,  or  heavenly  aspiration,  or  effort  to  save 
souls  ;  or  take  away,  in  any  shape,  the  curse  that  has  lighted  upon 
this  dark  world.  You  can  take  your  pew  under  such  a  gospel  and 
never  be  urged  to  zeal  and  engagedness.  But  where  it  will  con- 
duct you,  may  demand  a  doubt.  Not  to  heaven  surely,  where  they 
cease  not  day  nor  night  saying,  "Holy,  holy,  holj^,  is  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory."  There  must  be  great 
zeal  where  there  is  such  perpetual  worship.  Day  and  night!  0, 
how  such  zeal  as  this  would  be  lashed  and  scouted  in  this  cold  and 
cheerless  world! 

But  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  aims  to  make  this  world  as  much 
like  heaven  as  possible  ;  would  beget  all  the  zeal  they  have  there, 


190  CHRIST    CONDUCTS    TO    HEAVEN    A    HOLY    PEOPLE. 

and  all  the  industry,  and  all  the  celestial  fire.  We  hide  not  our 
wish,  to  render  men  in  this  world  as  much  in  earnest  in  serving 
God,  and  blessing  his  creatures,  as  they  are  in  heaven.  And,  sure 
as  you  breath,  you  have  never  seen  a  zeal  like  that  in  heaven.  It 
was  not  in  Paul,  nor  Peter,  nor  Brainard,  nor  Whitefield,  nor  Mar- 
tin. And  if  you  have  ever  once  seen  enough  any  where  to  offend 
you,  depend  upon  it  you  could  not  stay  in  heaven  an  hour. 

Finally,  it  offends  you,  that  the  Savior  should  be  the  proprie- 
tor of  the  Church  he  purchased  with  his  blood.  You  would  have 
him  an  agent,  a  prophet,  a  messenger  ;  you  would  not  allow  him 
to  own  his  sheep  ;  you  would  make  him  an  insignificant  subject 
of  that  kingdom  he  purchased  with  his  blood.  And  why  this  zeal 
to  degrade  him  1  Did  he  not  earn  the  kingdom  with  his  stripes, 
and  his  wounds,  and  his  sweat,  and  his  dying  agonies  '\  And  did 
he  not  build  the  very  world  in  which  he  has  set  up  this  kingdom  X 
The  apostle  thought  proper  to  speak  of  his  purifying  to  himself  a 
peculiar  people. 


And  why  not  let  them  he  his  ?  Are  you  afraid  to  be  his  \ 
Would  it  grieve  you  to  be  a  member  of  his  family,  and  have  a 
seat  at  the  supper  of  the  Lamb  '\  Well,  dear  friend,  there  will 
come  a  day  when  you  will  be  afraid,  if  you  are  noth'is.  When  he 
shall  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  all  his  holy  angels  with 
him,  and  the  last  trumpet  shall  have  waked  you  from  the  sleep  o-f 
the  grave,  then  "he  that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste,"  but  all 
others, — oh,  with  what  hurry  and  confusion  will  they  quit  their 
sepulchres!  and  with  what  untold  anguish  will  they  call  upon  the 
rocks  and  mountains,  to  fall  on  them  and  hide  them  from  the  face 
that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb  ! 
Will  you  not  then  wish  that  you  were  hisi 

Ye  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  did  it  ever  occur  to  you  how 
precious  a  thought  this  is.  You  belong  to  this  very  Lord  Jesus. 
"  Ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's."  How  safe  and  how  hap- 
py, if  he  can  make  you  so !  and  you  have  no  fear  but  he  can. 
Cast  all  your  care  upon  him,  for  he  careth  for  you.  You  will  see 
him  come  directly  to  gather  you,  and  you  will  hail  him  as  he 
comes,  "My  Lord,  and  my  God."  My  soul  casts  in  her  lot  with 
you.  We  glory  in  belonging  to  Christ,  and  look  wishfully  to 
ward  that  hour,  when  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is  and  be  like  him 
Then,  almighty  Redeemer,  then  shall  I  be  satisfied  when  I  wake 
with  thy  likeness.     Amen. 


SERMON    LVIII. 
GOSPEL  TRUTH  DISTINGUISHED. 

JOHN    XVIII.   38. 
"What  is  truth  ? 

This  question  was  put  to  our  Lord  by  the  miserable  time-serv- 
ing Pilate,  who  had  no  heart  to  love  what  he  inquired  after.  He, 
and  the  whole  multitude  of  the  ungodly  in  all  ages,  would  have 
the  reputation  of  being  the  friends  of  truth.  But  when  they  have 
inquired  what  truth  is,  they  are  careful  to  turn  away  their  ear 
from  the  answer.  This  one  fatal  error  characterizes  the  whole 
human  family,  till  the  Spirit  of  God  sanctifies  the  heart.  Till  then, 
they  will  not  candidly  examine  the  Bible,  nor  put  themselves  un- 
der the  guidance  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  nor  will  love  the  truth 
when  they  know  it.  Hence  to  know  and  love  the  truth,  is  charac- 
teristic of  a  heavenly  mind. 

But  the  question  still  comes  up.  What  is  that  truth  which  I  must 
know  and  love,  in  order  to  have  evidence  that  I  am  born  of  God  1 
The  text  would  furnish  a  field  too  large  for  a  single  sermon,  and 
must  be  diminished.  It  will  be  my  object  to  give  you  a  few  general 
characteristics  of  gospel  truth.  In  doing  this,  I  shall  name  the  par- 
ticular doctrines  no  farther  than  may  be  necessary,  to  illustrate 
some  leading  feature  of  revealed  truth  generally. 

I  should  choose  to  say  in  answer  to  the  question  in  the  text, 
What  is  truth  1 

I.  Truth  is  that  which  is  consistent  with  the  main  scope  of  GoiPs 
word.  An  insulated  text  or  two,  may  seem  to  support  what  " 
truth.  By  such  means  almost  any  sentiment  may  be  drawn  fror 
the  Bible,  or  from  any  other  book.  We  could  thus  prove  thai 
"  There  is  no  God  :"  "  Thou  shalt  not  surely  die  :"  "  Thou  shalt 
hate  thine  enemy :"  "  I  shall  have  peace,  though  I  walk  in  the  im 
agination  of  my  own  heart,  to  add  drunkenness  to  thirst."  Now 
you  may  fill  a  book  with  such  insulated  texts,  but  it  would  be  all 
false  :  a  lie  couched  in  Bible  language,  but  not  the  less  a  lie. 

All  the  false  doctrines,  that  have  spread  their  plagues  through 


192    ■  GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED. 

this  ill-fated  world,  has  thus  originated,  and  been  thus  sustained. 
To  him  who  is  willing  to  understand  it,  the  Bible  is  plain  ;  but  to 
one  who  prefers  delusion,  and  Avishes  to  believe  a  lie,  because  he 
has  no  sure  pleasure  in  the  truth,  the  Bible  presents  it  in  that  dis- 
connected form,  that  he  may  wrest  it,  if  he  please,  to  his  own  de- 
struction. 

Still  it  will  prove  true,  that  when  a  tortured  text  has  been  made 
the  basis  of  a  false  doctrine,  that  doctrine  will  not  be  sustained  by 
the  main  drift  of  inspiration.  It  cannot  be  supported  by  other 
texts,  without  giving  them  a  false  and  forced  construction,  and  the 
whole  system  when  thus  built  will  be  a  baseless  fabric.  There 
will  be  many  texts  in  the  very  face  of  the  false  doctrine,  and  in  a 
greater  number  still  its  falsehood  will  be  implied.  But  it  will  not 
be  thus  with  truth.  When  you  have  fairly  gathered  any  doctrine 
that  God  meant  to  teach,  from  any  part  of  his  Avord,  you  will  find 
it  asserted  in  other  parts,  implied  in  others,  and  in  none  contra, 
dieted. 

Now  apply  this  rule  to  any  one  doctrine,  or  system  of  doctrines, 
and  it  will  assuredly  assist  you  in  discovering  what  is  truth.  The 
saint's  perseverance,  for  instance,  is  clearly  taught  in  this  text, 
"The  steps  of  a  good  man  are  ordered  by  the  Lord,  and  he  de- 
lighteth  in  his  way  ;  though  he  fall,  he  shall  not  be  utterly  cast 
down,  for  the  Lord  upholdeth  him  with  his  hand;"  and  in  this, 
"For  I  am  persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor 
principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come, 
nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  sep- 
arate us  from  the  love  of  Ood,  v/hich  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  ;" 
and  in  this,  "  Being  confident  of  this  very  thing,  that  he  which 
hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you,  will  perform  it,  until  the  day  of 
Jesus  Christ;"  and  in  this,  "The  righteous  shall  hold  on  his 
way." 

Now  the  doctrine  thus  taught  in  a  number  of  texts  of  which  I 
have  quoted  but  few,  has  implied  support  in  a  far  more  numerous 
class  still.  All  those  texts  which  speak  of  heaven,  as  the  final 
home  of  believers,  imply  the  doctrine  ;  all  those  which  make  re- 
generated men  the  Savior's  reward  ;  the  promises  made  to  believ- 
ers, of  lielp  in  the  time  of  need,  of  victory  in  the  hour  of  conflict, 
of  escape  from  temptation,  of  light  in  darkness,  of  strength  equal 
to  their  day,  of  guidance  through  life,  and  of  hope  in  death.  It 
is  implied  in  that  assurance  of  salvation  which  Paul  had,  and  which 
every  believer  may  have;  in  the  terms  of  the  covenant,  which  is 
said  to  be  everlasting,  well  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure  ;  and  in  the 


GOSPEL    TKUTII    DISTINGUISHED,  193 

very  nature  of  holiness,  which  immediately  on  taking  existence  in 
the  heart,  seizes  heavenly  objects  as  its  own  inheritance.  And  the 
doctrine  thus  supported  directly^  and  by  extensive  implication,  is  no- 
where contradicted. 

Now  bring  any  doctrine  to  this  test,  and  if  thus  supported  it  is 
true.  iJpon  the  truth,  light  will  shine  from  almost  every  page  of 
mspiration.  But  we  must  be  candid  and  diligent,  or  we  may  not 
hope  to  be  enlightened.  If  men  go  to  the  Bible,  determined  to 
support  a  scheme  of  their  own,  it  is  by  no  means  certain,  that 
there  is  any  lie,  so  obvious  to  detection,  that  it  may  not  be  thus 
sustained:  for  it  is  threatened,  "For  this  cause  God  shall  send 
them  strong  delusions,  that  they  should  believe  a  lie  ;  that  they 
all  might  be  damned  who  believed  not  the  truth,  but  had  pleasure 
in  unrighteousness."  If  you  still  ask.  What  is  truth  1  I  answer 
again, 

II.  Truth  is  that,  after  which  men  inquire  humbly  and  prayerfully. 
That  was  a  good  ejaculation  of  the  Psalmist,  "  Open  thou  mine 
eyes,  and  I  shall  behold  wondrous  things  out  of  thy  law."  All 
Bible  truth  is  in  its  very  nature  humiliating  to  a  sinner  ;  hence 
there  must  be  humility,  or  there  can  be  here  no  possible  evidence 
of  that  candor,  which  is  necessary  in  researches  after  truth  of 
any  kind.  And  we  shall  pray  while  endeavoring  to  acquaint  our- 
selves with  God's  word,  because  a  desire  to  know  the  truth  im- 
plies a  heart  to  love  it,  and  this  implies  a  spirit  of  prayer. 

All  those  men  who  have  searched  the  most  profoundly,  after  the 
mind  of  God,  have  been  men  of  prayer.  They  made  ample  pro- 
ficiency in  their  inquiries,  because  in  the  outset  they  imbued  their 
souls  with  the  spirit  of  the  gospel.  In  answer  to  their  prayers 
they  had  the  teachings  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  It  is  only  a  mind 
opened  by  the  Sanctifier  for  the  reception  of  truth,  joined  to  a 
heart  softened  and  subdued  by  him,  that  can  have  any  very  exalt- 
ed pleasure  in  becoming  acquainted  with  those  holy  objects  which 
the  truth?  of  God  present.  He  will  have  a  low  opinion  of  his 
own  wisdom,  and  will  feel  his  need  of  Divine  aid  at  every  stage  of « 
his  progress. 

It  is  recorded  of  one  good  man,  who  is  known  to  have  made 
uncommon  proficiency  in  his  researches  after  truth,  that  he  studi- 
ed his  Bible  every  day  upon  his  knees.  And  of  every  good  man 
it  must  be  true,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  that  he  studies  the 
word  of  God  with  his  eyes  directed  toward  heaven  for  Divine 
teaching.     Between  truth,   and  a   humble  prayerful   spirit,   there 


194  GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED. 

is  that  indissoluble  connection,  that  will  justify  the  inference,  tha 
where  the  one  is,  there  we  may  with  great  probability  look  for  the 
other. 

But  the  search  for  error  requires  no  humility,  and  no  prayer. 
He  who  forms  his  system  out  of  his  own  heart,  and  goes  to  the 
Bible  to  have  it  sustained,  will  be  too  proud  to  let  the  testimony 
of  inspiration  alter  it.  He  feels  no  need  of  light  and  asks  none: 
would  be  afraid  to  pray,  lest  God  should  convince  him  that  his  fa- 
vorite system  is  a  lie.  Hence  inquire,  would  you  know  what  truth 
is,  what  are  the  doctrines  that  men  learn  on  their  knees ;  feeling 
themselves  ignorant,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked,  and  in  need 
of  all  things.  And  would  you  know  what  is  not  truth,  inquire 
what  doctrines  are  brought  to  the  Bible  to  be  compared  with  it, 
with  a  pride  and  a  self-sufficiency,  that  scruple  not  to  hew  down 
any  section  of  that  book  that  will  not  quadrate  with  the  favorite 
system  ;  and  prepared  to  proscribe  the  whole,  if  it  assume  any  au- 
thority over  the  decisions  of  human  reason.  Do  you  still  ask. 
"  What  is  truth  V     I  answer, 

III.  Truth  is  that  which  produces  changes  of  character  for  the  better. 
God  has  told  us  plainly  what  is  the  design  of  his  word.  It  was 
given  to  teach  us,  "  that  denying  ungodliness,  and  every  worldly 
lust,  we  should  live  soberly  arid  righteously,  and  godly  in  this  pre- 
sent evil  world."  Such  then  is  the  effect,  that  it  is  to  be  expect- 
ed truth  will  have  upon  the  human  character ;  hence  that  which 
has  this  effect  is  truth.  It  was  the  prayer  of  our  Lord  for  his  dis- 
ciples, "Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth;  thy  word  is  truth." 
And  who  will  deny,  that  men  are  fitted  for  heaven,  through  sanc- 
tification  of  the  Spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth.  This  fact  admit- 
ted, if  we  can  ascertain  what  doctrines  have  been  the  means  of 
making  men  better,  we  shall  have  learned  what  the  truth  is. 

Where  then  do  we  look  for  the  most  frequent  conversions'!  un- 
der what  system  1  and  under  what  men  1  The  question  amounts 
to  this,  What  doctrines  have  been  preached,  and  believed,  where 
the  Spirit  of  God  has  the  most  frequently  and  the  most  powerfully, 
operated,  in  producing  revivals  I  The  men  who  have  been  the 
most  favored,  in  seeing  the  work  of  God  prosper  under  their  min- 
istrations, and  have  turned  many  to  righteousness,  what  is  their 
creed  1  Do  they  deny  the  atonement  1  or  do  they"place  it  at  the 
foundation  of  all  human  hopes!  Do  they  acknowledge  the  Di- 
vine nature  of  Jesus  Christ!  Do  they  consider  man  so  depraved, 
that  his  sacrifices  are  an  abomination  to  the  Lord  ;  and   his  obsti- 


GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHEZi.  195 

nacy  such,  that  God  must  take  away  the  heart  of  stone,  and  give 
a  heart  of  flesh,  or  there  will  be  no  repentance,  and  no  obedience  1 
Do  they  believe,  or  not,  that  God  is  a  Sovereign,  and  worketh  all 
things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will  1  Do  they  credit  the  fact 
that  God  has  prepared  a  quenchless  fire,  and  a  never-dying  worm, 
for  the  punishment  of  the  finally  impenitent  1 

We  do  not  deny  that  in  some  instances  congregations  have  be- 
come acquainted  with  the  truth,  by  other  means  than  through  the 
ministry  placed  over  them,  and  that  the  truth  thus  acquired  has 
produced  awakenings;  nor  yet,  that  the  Bible  alone  has  been  the 
means  of  saving  men,  notwithstanding  the  opposing  influence  of  a 
false  gospel.  We  ask  what  are  the  doctrines  that  have  generated 
alarm,  and  have  induced  men  to  fly  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on  the 
hope  set  before  them  in  the  gospel ! 

Will  it  be  denied  tjiat  these  revivals,  so  called,  have  made  men 
better.  It  will  be  admitted,  that  they  have  made  some  men  worse, 
that  the  truth  long  and  daringly  resisted,  has  produced  not  a  few 
of  the  most  hard  and  desperate  men,  that  have  ever  lived.  There 
have  been  sore  and  alarming  instances  of  relapse,  that  have  cast 
whole  Churches  into  deep  distress. 

But,  this  admitted,  have  not  revivals  produced  very  noted  and 
numerous  cases  of  reform  1  Have  not  the  profane,  the  intemper- 
ate, the  proud,  and  the  false,  been ,  rendered  virtuous,  by  some 
power  that  operated  at  these  seasons  1  Now  if  it  was  God  who 
wrought,  it  was  truth  he  used  :  and  whether  you  own  or  not,  that 
the  power  of  God  produced  the  changes  witnessed,  you  will  hardly 
deny  that  the  truth  was  the  means  :  for  it  is  not  more  unscriptural, 
than  unphilosophical,  to  believe  that  falsehood  will  generate  virtue. 

Ascertain  then  whether  the  reception  or  the  rejection  of  any 
given  doctrine,  or  system  of  doctrines,  is  more  generally  attended 
by  a  change  of  character  for  the  better,  producing  sobrietj',  mo- 
rality, and  benevolence,  and  the  fact  will  aid  you  in  your  search 
after  truth.  I  know  there  is  much  boast  of  morality,  where  doc- 
trines are  current,  that  are  plainly  at  war  with  what 'the  Bible 
seerhs  very  clearly  to  teach,  but  I  know  too  that  such  boast  is 
vain.  The  virtue  that  thrives  under  error  is  proud,  and  selfish, 
and  cold,  and  often  very  malignant,  and  cruel  ;  makes  but  few 
and  small  sacrifices,  and  is  at  the  best  a  mere  polished  and  civi- 
lized idolatry.  It  may  drop  a  tear  over  the  sufferings  of  ihe  body^ 
and  be  prompt  to  cure  temporary  distress  ;  but  can  look  with  the 
indifference  of  a  statue  at  the  ruins  of  the  moral  world,  and  feels 
not  a  pang  nor  utters  a  groan,  at  the  sigt.t  of  six  hundred  millions 


196  GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED. 

of  souls  sinking  to  perdition,  and  degraded  and  miserable  all  the 
way  thither.  It  cares  not  who  suffers  through  ignorance  of  God, 
nor  is  miserable  through  the  lack  of  vision.  We  do  not  deny,  if 
they  like  this  picture,  that  such  a  morality  does  prevail  where  men 
have  turned  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie. 

But  let  us  make  a  high  regard  to  the  best  interests  of  men^  the 
leading  feature  of  morality,  and  then  inquire  where  we  find  it. 
Does  such  a  morality  thrive  under  what  is  termed  evangelical 
truth,  or  where  this  system  is  scouted,  and  libelled,  and  proscribed  \ 
If  we  see  men,  on  embracing  these  doctrines  become  better^  then 
believe  them  true,  but  if  worse,  then  you  may  believe  them  a  lie. 
Do  you  ask  me  still,  "  What  is  truth  1"     I  answer, 

IV.  Truth  is  that  which  distresses,  and  often  offends  ungodly  men. 
The  character  of  God,  and  his  people  as  far  as  they  are  like  him, 
is  built  on  the  truth.  But  unholy  beings,  men  and  devils,  have  a 
character  bottomed  upon  falsehood.  They  feel  and  act  as  they 
do,  because  in  their  esteem  a  lie  is  the  truth.  Hence  the  truth  is 
at  war  with  their  character,  their  conscience,  their  pleasures,  and 
their  hopes.  It  holds  before  them  a  mirror  in  which  they  appear 
ugly  to  themselves,  and  see  their  need  of  a  better  character,  in 
order  to  be  accepted  of  God.  It  shows  them  that  their  stronghold 
is  a  house  of-  straw.  It  exhibits  them  as  playing  the  fool  with 
their  own  best  interests.  A  mad  man,  who  in  a  paroxysm  of  his 
disease  has  butchered  his  family,  and  half  dispatched  himself,  and 
has  waked  to  consciousness  in  the  very  act  of  suicide,  is  scarcely 
a  sorer  picture  of  wretchedness  and  ruin,  than  a  sinner  upon  whose 
conscience  there  has  been  poured  suddenly  the  light  of  truth.  It 
shows  him  that  he  is  laboring  hard  to  fit  himself  for  irrecoverable 
ruin  ;  and  is  heaping  treasure  together  for  the  last  days.  His 
character  must  be  altered,  or  the  light  shut  out  that  shows  him  its 
deformity. 

Now  assure  yourselves  what  doctrines  bring  ungodly  men  into 
this  condition  of  distress,  and  you  learn  what  is  truth.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  you  will  ascertain  what  doctrines  offend  and  grieve 
the  sood  man,  you  will  learn  what  is  not  truth.  Let  me  appeal  to 
that  part  of  my  audience,  who  have  yet  no  hope  that  they  are  born 
of  God,  but  who  have  frequently  felt  alarm.  On  that  night  when 
you  went  home  so  unhappy  from  the  place  of  worship,  and  wet 
your  couch  with  tears,  and  roared,  and  was  in  anguish  all  night, 
what  doctrine  had  been  exhibited  1  Was  it  the  entire  depravity 
of  tlie  heart  1  or  was  it  an  attempt  to  prove,  that  you  are  not  that 


GOSPEL    TRUTH    DI^TI^'GlTISHH:D.  197 

lost  and  ruined  being,  which  this  pitiless  orthodoxy  would  render 
you  1  Was  it  Divine  sovereignty  l  or  a  discourse  that  went  to 
show,  that  when  God  had  buih.  the  world  he  placed  it  without  the 
limits  of  his  empire,  and  left  it  to  govern  and  watch  over  itself? 
Was  it  the  doctrine  of  decrees'?  or  an  attempt  to  show  that  a 
sparrow  may  fall  to  the  ground,  and  God  not  know  it,  and  that  the 
hairs  of  our  head  are  noi  numbered  "?  Was  it  election  1  or  was  it 
an  effort  to  prove  that  the  Father  has  not  given  any  of  our  race  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  if  he  has,  they  may  not  come  to 
him,  and  that  many  who  do  come  to  him  may  be  cast  out  1  Was 
it  the  doctrine  of  ever-during  future  punishment '?  or  a  train  of 
reasonings  that  went  to  prove  that  tTie  great  gulf  had  been  bridged 
over  "? 

Go  on,  my  audience,  and  apply  this  rule  to  other  doctrines,  to 
whatever  extent  you  please,  it  will  help  you  greatly  in  determin- 
ing what  is  truth.  Let  us  suppose  a  case,  or  rather  state  one  that 
has  happened.  A  sinner  lies  on  the  dying  bed.  There  goes  to 
him  one  in  the  character  of  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ.  But  he 
tells  the  dying  man,  that  he  has  no  occasion  to  be  much  alarmed, 
that  his  heart  is  not  radically  polluted,  that  he  must  receive  bap- 
tism, and  forgive  his  enemies,  and  be  willing  to  die,  and  all  will 
be  well.  He  is  baptized  !  !  The  minister  goes  on  ;  God  is  mer- 
ciful, and  Christ  has  died  for  sinners  :  there  can  be  no  doubt  but 
the  dying  man  will  be  soon  in  Abraham's  bosom. — He  retires,  and 
another  man,  with  far  other  views,  takes  his  chair  by  the  dying 
bed.  He  assures  the  poor  man,  that  he  has  probably  come  to  his 
last  hours  with  a  heart  of  enmity  with  God,  and  so  obstinate  in  its 
enmity,  that  none  but  a  power  divine  can  subdue  it  ;  and  that  ii 
must  be  sanctified  very  soon,  or  he  perishes  for  ever.  Still  God 
has  made  no  promise  that  lays  him  under  obligation  to  effect  this 
change,  hence  the  man's  eternal  life  hangs  upon  uncovenanted 
mercy.  True  a  Savior  has  died  for  sinners,  and  God  is  merciful, 
infinitely  rnerciful,  but  that  atonement  and  that  mercy,  have  con- 
ditions annexed,  which  must  be  complied  with,  or  they  avail  no- 
thing. The  sinner  must  repent  and  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  ;  and 
God  will  give  repentance  unto  life  to  whom  he  will,  whose  names 
are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life. 

I  have  thus  given  the  substance  of  the  instruction  administered 
by  the  two  legates.  The  dying  man  continues  impenitent.  Now 
who  of  the  two  gives  him  comfort,  and  loko  alarms  and  distresses 
him  1  He  who  grves  comfort  to  one  who  is  out  of  Christ,  must 
deal  in  lies  ;  he  who  distresses  him,  though  he   may  not  use  the 


198  GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED. 

mildest,  best  language,  has  the  presumption  in  his  favor,  that  he 
pours  in  truth  upon  an  ungodly  mind.  God  requires  that  we  say 
to  the  wicked,  that  it  shall  be  ill  with  them,  and  a  message  like 
this  will  not  give  them  comfort,  unless  it  prove  the  means  of  their 
conversion.  Hence  the  irresistible  presumption  is,  that  he  who 
gives  pain  to  the  dying  sinner,  and  not  he  who  gives  comfort^ 
makes  use  of  truth. 

And  what  thus  gives  pain,  is  very  liable  to  give  offence.  Men 
are  proud,  and  when  the  truth,  from  the  necessity  of  the  case, 
bears  against  their  character  and  conduct,  they  scowl.  You  can- 
not offer  them  mercy  in  the  style  of  Scripture,  but  you  convey  to 
them  a  threatening,  if  they  believe  not.  The  gospel  intrudes  upon 
the  sinner's  pleasures,  and  pours  unwelcome  light  upon  his  con- 
science, and,  as  he  esteems  it,  degrades  his  character  ;  tells  him 
of  a  judgment  he  is  loth  to  think  of,  and  predicts  a  doom  he  hates 
to  anticipate,  a  hell  whose  fires  he  would  gladly  put  out,  where 
there  await  him  weeping,  and  wailing,  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 
Ah,  the  truth  tears  from  the  sinner  all  his  hopes  of  heaven,  pulls 
down  about  his  head  his  refuge  of  lies,  breaks  his  covenant  with 
death,  and  annuls  his  agreement  with  hell,  and  leaves  him  the  prey 
of  despair,  till  he  raises  one  believing  look  to  the  hills  whence  his 
help  cometh  ;  and  sure  as  life,  all  this,  if  it  does  not  save  him,  will 
offend  him. 

If,  then,  you  would  test  the  truth  of  a  doctrine,  propose  it  to 
ungodly  men,  and  watch  if  it  gives  offence.  What  effect  has  divine 
sovereignty,  decrees,  and  election,  upon  such  men  1  If  they 
offend,  the  presumption  is  that  they  are  true.  Go  to  that  man 
standing  in  the  door  of  that  grog-shop,  reeling  and  cursing,  with 
a  glass  in  his  hand,  and  name  one  of  these  doctrines  ;  will  it  please 
or  offend  him  \  will  it  calm  or  enrage  him  1 

Let  me  take  another  view.  Christians  have  been  much  of  their 
life  ungodly.  Did  they  generally  love  these  hard  doctrines  before 
conversion  or  since  X  The  doctrine  of  universal  salvation  ;  do 
men  more  generally  believe  this  doctrine  before  they  are  regene- 
rated, or  afterward  ?  You  may  thus  bring  to  the  test  any  doctrine 
or  system  of  doctrines.  That  individual  truth,  or  system  of  truths, 
which  pleases  more  generally  unsanctified  men,  is  more  likely  to 
be  false  than  otherwise.  Error  loves  its  child,  depravity,  and  the 
child  its  mother. 

I  know  that  to  make  this  experiment  fairly,  you  must  arrest 
attention.  Men  may  be  too  stupid  to  be  distressed  by  the  truth, 
and  may  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness.     The  mass  of  impeni- 


GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED.  199 

tent  sinners  in  our  orthodox  congregations,  and  who  could  not  be 
persuaded  to  receive  and  support  a  loose  and  ungodly  ministry, 
are  on  the  side  of  truth,  because  they  are  thoughtless,  or  consider 
it  disreputable  to  renounce  the  creed  of  their  fathers.  But  every 
period  of  awakening  draws  out  enmity,  more  or  less,  because  it 
brings  men  to  think.  I  doubt  not  but  there  is  sufficient  hatred  to 
truth,  in  New  England,  to  explode  the  gospel,  and  its  ministry, 
and  the  Bible,  and  seal  up  the  doors  of  every  sanctuary,  if  God 
should  remove  restraint,  and  wicked  men  be  generally  aroused  to 
thought,  and  see  how  at  war  truth  is  with  their  heart  and  their  life. 
There  may  be  a  kind  of  general  acknowledgment  of  the  truth, 
where  it  would  be  most  cordially  hated,  Avere  it  so  brought  home 
to  the  conscience  as  to  be  strongly  felt.  Then  it  becomes  rnani- 
fest  that  the  truth  had  previously  floated  merely  upon  the  surface 
of  the  mind,  and  had  not  been  opposed,  because  it  had  not  been 
felt.     Do  you  still  inquire,  "  What  is  truth  1"  I  answer, 

V.  Truth  is  that  which  is  consistent  with  itself,  and  inconsistent 
with  all  error.  Should  two  men  appear  in  a  court  of  justice,  to 
bear  witness  to  the  truth,  their  testimony  would  agree,  without 
any  previous  consultation.  There  might  be  many  apparent  dis- 
crepancies, but  they  could  all  be  explained  satisfactorily.  Say 
it  is  a  case  of  assault,  that  happened  several  months  since.  One 
afiirms  that  the  attack  commenced  in  a  house,  on  the  evening  of 
such  a  day  ;  at  the  hour  of  eleven  ;  the  other  places  the  scene  of 
attack  without  the  doors  of  that  house,  at  the  hour  of  twelve,  and 
names  another  day  of  the  week,  another  day  of  the  month,  and 
even  another  month.  But  the  court  perceives  in  a  moment,  that 
the  attack  might  commence  in  the  house,  and  be  renewed  without 
and  that  one  of  the  witnesses  might  mistake  wholly  the  time 
Hence,  finally,  their  testimony  may  substantially  agree. 

Now,  although  we  would  not  place  the  seeming  discrepancies 
of  the  Bible  on  the  same  footing,  for  here  there  could  be  no  mis- 
take, yet  there  are  many  apparent  discrepancies.  One  apostle  testi- 
fies that  the  thieves.,  implicating'  both,  reproached  the  sufl^ering 
Redeemer ;  another  fixes  the  charge  upon  one  07ily ;  while  the 
truth  probably  is,  that  at  the  first  both  reviled,  and  finally  but  one  j 
the  other  being  sanctified  ;  and  the  evangelists  record  what  they 
saw  and  heard  at  different  times.  So  when  Saul  was  addressed 
by  the  Savior  on  his  way  to  Damascus  ;  one  account  is,  that  those 
who  journeyed  with  him,  heard  the  voice  but  saw  no  man  ;  while 
another  asserts  that  they  heard  not  the  voice   of  him   that  spake. 


200  GOSPEL    TRUril    DISTINGUISHED. 

The  truth  no  doubt  is,  that  they  heard  a  sound,  but  did  not  distin- 
guish what  was  spoken.  Many  such  apparent  discrepancies  are 
found  in  the  sacred  volume,  serving,  however,  to  corroborate  its 
testimony.  If  men  had  agreed  to  lie,  they  would  have  been  care- 
ful to  have  a  perfect  harmony  in  their  statements,  especially  when 
their  testimony  was  voluntary  and  deliberate.  Truth  is  consistent 
with  itself. 

Now  let  us  make  application  of  the  rule.  If  it  be  correct,  then 
an  entire  change  of  heart  is  necessary  only  on  the  supposition  that 
the  heart  is  totally  depraved  ;  if  regeneration  be  entirely  the  work 
of  God,  then  man  does  none  of  it ;  no  promise  could  insure  heaven 
to  the  believer,  and  still  he  be  lost ;  if  God  foreknows  an  event, 
that  event  is  certain  ;  sin  requires  an  infinite  atonement,  if,  in  its 
nature,  it  tends  to  infinite  mischief:  thus  one  truth  is  consistent 
with  another. 

But  between  truth  and  error  there  is  no  such  harmony.  No 
court  can  reconcile  a  true  and  false  witness.  Error  thwarts  the 
track  of  truth,  and  its  own  track.  It  is  a  body  opaque,  that  can- 
not light  its  own  way,  while  truth  surrounds  itself  with  the  light 
necessary  to  guide  its  course. 

Let  us  look  at  one  case.  I  take  this  position ;  God  is  the  im- 
placable enemy  of  sin  ;  now  reconcile  this  with  the  idea  that  there 
is  neither  a  judgment  nor  a  hell.  It  then  follows,  that  the  vilest 
men  are  often  taken  to  heaven  first :  the  people  of  the  old  world 
were  at  rest  in  the  bosom  of  the  Lamb,  while  Noah  and  his  family 
had  yet  to  weather  many  a  dark  and  dreary  night  upon  a  shore- 
less ocean  j  the  Sodomites  went  all  up  to  heaven,  while  Lot  was 
left  to  wander  upon  the  mountains  ;  Judas  was  glorified  before 
John  ;  and  all  those  who  shorten  their  lives  by  debauchery  are 
sooner  at  rest  than  the  virtuous.  To  such  results  are  we  driven 
when  we  would  reconcile  truth  with  error. 

Take  another  case.  The  heart  till  renewed  in  regeneration  is 
void  of  moral  goodness.  Now  reconcile  this  with  the  idea  that 
the  unsanctified  do  any  thing  pleasing  to  God.  The.  heart  gives 
every  moral  action  its  character.  "As  a  man  thinketh  in  his 
heart,  so  is  he."  Hence  a  bad  heart  will  give  every  moral  act  a 
bad  character:  the  motives  by  which  we  act  are  in  the  heart,  but 
if  the  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  be  full  of  evil,  then  every  motive 
is  bad  ;  hence  every  deed  instigated  by  such  motive  is  bad.  How 
then  can  sinners  do  any  thing  pleasing  to  God  1  Thus  truth  and 
error  at  open  war.  They  must  not  mingle  in  the  same  system, 
nor  unite  in  governing  the  same  heart ;  cannot  have  a  place  in  the 


GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED.  201 

same  Bible,  can  have  no  fellowship,  no  harmony.  They  are  the 
two  contending  powers  that  have  so  long  distracted  this  fallen 
world,  and  the  war  will  continue,  without  truce  or  treaty,  till  one  or 
the  other  is  exterminated ;  and  which  must  perish,  it  is  not  diffi- 
cult to  decide. 

'And  I  might  add,  that  error  is  equally  inconsis'tent  with  itself 
There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  system  of  error.  I  could  as  soon  con- 
ceive of  harmony  made  up  of  a  combination  of  discords.  Hence 
we  need  not  wonder  that  those  who  depart  from  the  simplicity  of 
the  gospel,  are  driven  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine.  It 
must  be  so.  They  can  never  so  mend  up  their  system,  that  it  shall 
suit  them  ;  but  will  alter  it,  and  alter  it,  till  all  truth  is  excluded, 
and  it  has  become  a  scheme  of  infidel  morality.  So  we  conceive 
of  some  comet  that  will  not  be  governed  by  the  laws  of  gravita- 
tion, and  wanders  from  system  to  system,  till  no  other  world  can 
be  safe  in  its  vicinity,  and  no  sun  will  lighten  it,  and  finally  it  goes 
out  beyond  the  reach  of  suns,  and  there  is  in  reserve  for  it  the 
blackness  of  darkness  forever.  Ah,  how  infatuated  men  have  been 
when  they  gave  up  one  doctrine  of  the  Bible,  and  supposed  it 
would  not  essentially  alter  their  creed !  By  that  act  they  cast 
themselves  off  from  their  anchorage,  after  which  there  was  no 
guessing  before  what  storm  they  would  be  driven,  into  what  lati- 
tude borne,  or  upon  what  cliff  be  dashed,  and  broken,  and  destroy- 
ed. 0  that  men  would  be  wise  sooner,  and  fall  on  their  knees,  the 
moment  they  have  taken  up  their  pen  to  blot  and  interline  their 
creed.  It  is  only  in  the  edifice  of  truth,  that  there  can  be  a  per- 
fect unity  from  the  foundation  to  the  topstone.  Do  you  still  in- 
quire, "  What  is  truth  {"     I  answer, 

VI.  Truth  is  that  which  will  stand  the  test  of  a  close  examination. 
A  man  reports  to  you  a  fact  which  he  witnessed.  You  have  some 
doubt,  and  demand  particulars.  He  goes  on  to  state  when,  and 
where,  and  how  the  event  transpired.  He  tells  you  why  he  was 
there  ;  who  else  were  present;  the  hour  of  the  day  ;  how  long 
he  was  there ;  how  many  were  concerned  in  the  matter  ; — in  a 
word,  he  will  readily  answer  any  question  you  put  to  him.  And 
makes  every  statement  fearless  of  contradiction. 

Now  a  lie  will  not  stand  this  pressure.  Ask  the  man  who  comes 
to  you  with  a  false  report  all  these  particulars,  and  you  will  soon 
perceive  that  although  he  has  marked  out  several  steps,  yet  be- 
yond these  he  moves  with  hesitancy.     He  has  the  particulars  of 

VOL.  II.  26 


202  GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED. 

the  lie  to  fabricate.  Now  all  this  will  apply  to  gospel  truth.  Take 
an  example. 

Total  depravity  is  proved  by  this  text,  "  The  carnal  mind  is  en- 
•mity  against  God;"  and  this,  "  There  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no 
not  one  ;"  and  this,  "  Every  imagination  of  the  thought  of  the 
heart  is  evil,  only  evil  continually;"  and  this,  "The  heart  of 
the  sons  of  men  is  full  of  evil." 

Now  let  us  see  if  this  doctrine  will  stand  the  test  of  a  close  ex- 
amination. If  it  be  true,  men  will  be  seen  to  act  very  basely;  and 
this  we  see.  If  it  be  true  men  will  need  restraint,  and  will  act  the 
worse,  the  less  restrained  ;  and  this  is  fact:  "Thou  hast  spoken 
and  done  evil  things  as  thou  couldst."  If  it  be  true,  nothing  that 
the  sinner  does  will  please  God  :  "  Without  faith  it  is  impossible 
to  please  him."  If  it  be  true,  God  must  renew  the  heart :  "Which 
were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will 
of  man,  but  of  God."  If  it  be  true,  the  change  will  be  great  : 
"  Old  things  are  passed  away,  behold  all  things  are  become  new." 
If  it  be  true,  God  must  hate  our  native  character :  "He  is  angry 
with  the  wicked  every  day."  If  it  be  true,  they  will  not  relish  it ; 
and  such  is  generally  the  fact.  You  may  go  on  and  press  the  doc- 
trine as  much  as  you  please,  or  any  other  doctrine  in  the  system 
of  truth,  and  it  will  stand.  Not  the  surf-beaten  rock,  that  lines 
the  shore  of  ocean,  stands  half  so  firmly  as  the  truth.  It  will  live 
and  flourish,  and  will  still  be  truth,  when  all  its  opposers  have  per- 
ished, and  every  rock  is  rolled  from  its  bed. 

And  the  truth  will  stand  firmly  without  the  aid  of  sophistry.  It 
is  when  you  attempt  to  establish  a  lie,  that  you  must  use  false  ar- 
guments. Hence  there  never  was  an  orator,  who  could  ably  sup- 
port the  side  of  an  argument,  that  is  opposite  to  truth  and  right- 
eousness. Take  an  example.  He  tries  to  prove  that  no  plan 
guides  the  Divine  operations.  But  there  are  a  thousand  facts,  and 
the  whole  Bible,  and  the  best  conclusions  of  reason,  all  confront- 
ing him.  Hence  he  makes  no  advances,  till  he  affixes  to  the  docr 
trine  he  would  oppose,  some  odious  name,  calls  it  election,  and 
suggests  some  mischievous  consequences  if  it  prove  true,  and 
casts  about  the  hated  doctrine  a  cloud  of  darkness  and  mysticism, 
and  then,  when  his  hearers  aj-e  highly  impassioned,  and  so  blinded 
by  rage,  as  not  to  see  the  weakness  and  wickedness  of  the  orator, 
he  plies  his  false  and  worthless  arguments.  It  would  destroy 
man's  free  agency.  It  would  render  the  invitations  of  the  gospel 
insincere.  It  would  excuse  every  violation  of  the  Divine  law. 
Now  there  is  not  one  of  these  arguments  worth  a  straw,  if  he  had 


GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED.  203 

a  candid  auditory  to  enlighten.  But  one  may  as  well  attempt  to 
convince  a  rock  that  it  is  hard,  as  to  pour  truth  upon  a  mad  con- 
gregation. The  ear  that  should  hear  it  is  deaf,  and  the  eye  that 
should  see  it  is  blind,  and  what  is  worse  than  all,  the  heart  that 
should  feel  it  is  biased. 

But  let  one  attempt  to  prove  that  God  has  a  plan,  and  guides  all 
his  movements  by  it,  and  he  may  use  solid  and  honest  arguments. 
He  may  appeal  to  the  unequivocal  testimony  of  inspiration :  to  the 
attributes  of  God;  to  the  impossibility  of  a  wise  intelligence  ope- 
rating without  a  plan;  or  to  matters  of  fact,  which  show,  unequi- 
vocally, that  such  a  plan  exists,  and  is  going  into  rapid  and  suc- 
cessful operation.  And  when  he  has  exhausted  his  substantial 
arguments,  he  need  proceed  no  farther,  for  the  truth  is  proved, 
and  will  stand  without  the  prop  of  sophistry.  And  the  same  is 
true  relative  to  any  and  every  doctrine  of  the  Bible.  A  mere 
school-boy  can  reason  better  in  support  of  truth,  than  the  wisest 
philosopher,  when  he  v^ould  prove  the  truth  of  a  falsehood.  The 
very  father  of  lies  himself  could  never  defend,  successfully,  any 
one  doctrine  of  his  creed.  You  still  ask  me,  "What  is  truth  1" 
I  answer, 

VII.  Truth  is  that  against  which  all  opposition  is  weak.  It  must 
have  opposers,  in  every  world  where  there  is  depravity.  But  the 
Patron  of  truth  is  the  mighty  God  ;  hence  all  opposition  is  insig- 
nificant. Truth  could  never  be  checked  in  its  progress,  by  all  the 
terrors  of  the  dungeon,  or  the  agonies  of  the  stake  and  the  cross. 
Every  heretic  that  was  executed  during  the  reign  of  intolerance, 
promoted  the  triumph,  and  widened  the  spread  of  truth.  At  every 
scene  of  persecution,  other  hearts  were  sanctified,  and  other  wit- 
nesses rose,  as  it  were  from  the  ashes  of  the  martyred,  to  erect 
again,  higher  and  still  higher,  the  standard  of  the  cross,  and  vin- 
dicate, more  and  more  triumphantly,  the  honor  of  truth,  and  the 
glory  of  God.  Opposition  to  truth  warms  its  advocates,  and  pro- 
duces a  reaction,  that  carries  the  war  back  into  the  territories  of 
the  foe,  eclipses  the  briljiancy,  and  humbles  the  triumph  of  his 
boasted  victories. 

Were  it  not  for  the  reluctance  we  feel  that  men  should  undo 
themselves  for  ever,*  it  could  be  wished,  that  error  might  ever  have 
warm  and  able  advocates,  to  call  into  action  the  friends  of  truth, 
and  show  the  world  that  it  has  a  light  of  its  own,  that  can  eclipse 
and  consume  every  wandering  star  that  would  thwart  its  track. 
In  its  very  nature  truth  is  invulnerable  and  eternal      Its  author  is 


204 


GOSrEL    TRUTH    DISTLXGUISHED. 


God,  whose  character  and  whose  throne  is  built  on  it,  and  who  has 
pledged  all  in  him  that  is  sacred,  that  it  shall  exist  and  flourish 
commensurate  with  himself. 

0,  that  its  enemies  did  but  know  their  destiny.  When  they 
shall  have  done  their  best,  and  cried  aloud  to  their  gods,  and  leaped 
upon  their  altars,  and  wounded  themselves  till  they  are  covered 
with  their  own  gore;  then  God  will  speak,  and  fire  will  come  from 
heaven  to  testify  to  his  truth,  and  devour  its  adversaries.  No 
warfare  has  ever  been  so  unpromising  as  theirs.  The  victory  has 
never  hung  in  doubt  an  hour.  When  the  foe  has  been  intrenching 
himself,  and  was  proud  of  his  forces,  and  sure  of  the  victory ;  and 
the  friends  of  truth  lay  on  their  faces  between  the  porch  and  the 
altar,  and  could  only  say,  "  Spare  thy  people,  0  Lord,  and  give 
not  thine  heritage  to  reproach  ;"  even  then,  angels  were  not  afraid, 
nor  God  afraid,  nor,  nor  should  faith  have  been  afraid,  that  the 
truth  might  suffer.  Do  vou  still  ask  me,  "  What  is  truth  1"  I  an 
swer, 

VIII.  Truth  is  that  which  never  becomes  obsolete^  but  is  rendered 
the  more  illustrious  by  use.  It  may  at  times  seem  obscured,  and 
likely  to  become  extinct,  in  some  limited  territory  of  this  world, 
but  it  will  come  into  credit  again,  and  will  pervade  the  very 
ground  from  which  it  seemed  excluded.  The  human  heart  does 
not  love  it,  and  would  destroy  it,  and  has  been  making  efforts  to 
this  effect  ever  since  the  apostacy ;  but  the  conscience,  to  what- 
ever extent  it  has  light,  is  on  the  side  of  truth,  and  often  exerts  an 
influence  to  give  it  countenance  and  currency,  where  it  would 
otherwise  be  without  a  friend.  Its  light  may  be  eclipsed,  but  can- 
not be  extinguished.  So  the  sun  may  suffer  some  little  world  to 
roll  athwart  its  beams,  and  cut  off  a  few  fragments  of  its  light 
from  some  other  world,  but  the  sun,  when  eclipsed,  is  not  extin- 
guished. While  the  ignorant  rriultitude  stand  appalled  at  the 
brooding  darkness,  he  emerges  from  behind  the  screen,  and  rolls 
and  shines  with  unbroken  velocity  and  undiminished  lustre. 

Some  have  believed,  and  many  have  hoped,  that  the  Scriptures 
would  one  day  become  obsolete,  and  men  be  released  from  its 
obligations  and  its  terrors.  Poor  souls,  they  think  it  a  great 
grievance  that  there  should  be  any  sun  to  light  the  moral  world. 
They  would  it  were  one  unbroken  night  through  all  the  territories 
of  intellect.  So  we  have  known  when  the  thief  and  the  robber 
cursed  the  opening  day  as  a  nuisance,  and  were  not  ashamed  to 
wish  that  the  sun  might   cease  to  shine,  and  the  moon  and  stars 


GOSPEL    TBUTH    DISTINGUISHED.  205 

withhold  their  light.  But  the  prayer  of  the  thief  will  not  put  the 
sun  out,  nor  will  the  enemies  of  truth  live  to  see  the  Scriptures 
perish.  No,  the  men  will  perish,  and  the  arguments  that  have  stood 
in  martial  array  against  that  book,  while  the  book  itself  is  destined 
to  outlive  all  the  nations,  and  will  be  in  the  hands,  and  deeply  im- 
pressed upon  the  heart,  of  that  last  believer  who  shall  rise  to  meet 
the  Lord  in  the  air.  This  great  luminary  of  the  moral  world,  will 
hold  its  station,  and  shine  on  in  all  its  glory,  and  lighten  and  warm 
the  beings  it  was  sent  to  cherish,  till  the  elect  are  all  gathered  in. 
Every  doctrine  of  that  book  will  outlive  its  foes,  and  will  be  em- 
braced and  loved  by  every  believer  that  shall  be  sanctified  through 
the  truth.  Wisdom  is  justified  of  her  children.  There  is  no  dan- 
ger, nor  has  there  ever  been,  that  any  one  doctrine  of  the  Bible 
should  be  lost.  No  power  but  that  which  can  build  a  world  can 
stop  truth  in  its  course,  and  that  power  will  not.  Bury  in  one 
common  grave  every  Bible  that  has  ever  been  published,  and  let 
them  lie  till  their  mortal  parts  perish,  still  their  doctrines,  like  so 
many  imperishable  gems,  shall  resist  corruption,  and  emerge  un- 
hurt from  the  embers  of  the  last  conflagration. 

By  being  controverted,  truth  increases  its  lustre.  The  attacks 
made  upon  the  doctrines  of  the  reformation,  gave  them  currency. 
Men  would  risk  their  lives  to  see  that  book  which  was  so  much 
the  dread  of  some  of  the  ruling  powers,  especially  the  powers 
spiritual.  Thus  the  eyes  of  a  blinded  world  were  opened  the  more 
effectually  upon  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God.  And  all 
the  efforts  that  have  been  made  since  then,  or  that  may  be  made 
against  the  truth  hereafter,  have  had,  and  will  have  but  this  one 
effect,  to  establish  its  friends  in  the  more  perfect  belief,  and  the 
more  full  enjoyment  of  the  precious  Bible. 

Truth  is  in  most  danger  when  its  foes  are  asleep,  for  then  its 
friends  sleep  too.  "  While  the  bridegroom  tarried  they  all  slum- 
bered and  slept."  To  drive  his  people  to  their  post,  God  some- 
times gives  their  enemies  a  temporary  triumph  ;  never,  however, 
leaving  it  doubtful  in  the  eye  of  faith  where  victory  will  rest. 
V/hen  infidelity  threatened  to  deluge  the  world,  God  raised  up  a 
standard.     And  v/hen  it  crept  within  the  pale  of  the  Churches, 

"  As  when  a  prowling  wolf, 
Whom  hunger  drives  to  seek  new  haunt  for  prey, 
Watching  where  shepherds  pen  their  flocks  at  eve. 
In  hurdled  cotes  amid  the  field  secure, 
Leaps  o'er  the  ft  nee  with  ease  into  the  fold  ; 
Or  as  a  thief  bent  to  unhoard  the  eash 


206  GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED. 

Of  some  rich  burgher,  whose  substantial  doors, 
Cross-barr'd  and  bolted  fast,  fear  no  assault. 
In  at  the  -window  climbs,  or  o'er  the  tiles : 
So  clomb  this  first  grand  thief  into  God's  fold ; 
So  since  into  his  church  lewd  hirelings  climb," 

an  eye  Divine  watched  all  its  movements.  And  its  defeat  is  now 
as  certain,  as  when  it  libelled  the  entrance  of  the  grave-yard,  and 
daringly  proscribed  the  Nazarine.  God  can  recognize  his  ene- 
mies under  whatever  vestments  they  may  'conceal  themselves.  It 
requires  only  common  faith  to  predict,  that  the  Churches  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  not  long  harbor  in  their  communion  errors 
that  dethrone  their  Master.  In  the  present,  and  in  every  future 
conflict,  the  result  will  be  as  in  the  past.  God  will  not  sufler  a 
flood  of  error  to  pour  in,  mightier  than  the  standard  he  will  lift 
up  against  it.  He  will  continue  for  ever  to  be  the  friend  and  ad- 
vocate of  truth,  and  should  the  time  again  come  when  he  must 
blot  out  a  world  to  recover  its  influence,  he  has  all  his  stores  of 
wrath  ready.     Do  you  still  ask  me,  "  What  is  truth  1"     I  answer, 

Finally,  Truth  is  that  against  which  an  impenitent  world  is  armed 
with  objections.  I  mention  this  characteristic  of  truth,  because 
many  conceive  that  nothing  can  be  truth  that  meets  with  opposi- 
tion. They  act  on  the  false  supposition,  that  the  world  is  friendly 
to  truth,  will  readily  embrace  it  when  distinctly  seen,  and  will  ob- 
ject to  nothing  that  is  truth.  Hence  if  they  hear  a  doctrine  ob- 
jected to,  in  the  belief  of  which  they  have  been  ever  so  well 
established,  they  feel  it  to  be  their  duty  to  doubt  its  truth.  And 
yet  there  is  no  doctrine  against  which  there  may  not  be  brought 
a  variety  of  objections.  In  the  affairs  of  common  life  it  would 
not  answer  to  act  on  this  principle,  else  we  should  believe  nothing. 
There  stands  a  tree  by  your  door,  and  jroa  affirm  that  it  grew 
there.  I  object  to  your  position,  first,  that  such  a  mass  of  timber 
could  never  rise  to  such  a  height  without  hands  ;  secondly,  that 
earth  cannot  produce  wood,  as  every  efl^ect  must  have  the  nature 
of  its  cause  ;  and  thirdly,  the  tree  was  never  seen  to  grow.  But 
do  you  doubt  whether  the  tree  grew  there,  because  I  have  offered 
three  objections  to  your  faith  1  And  if  I  could  ofler  thirty,  instead 
of  three,  would  it  shake  your  confidence!  Then  why  are  the 
precious  doctrines  of  the  gospel  to  be  yielded  on  the  first  attack  '? 

The  fact  is,  and  it  is  a  fact  that  we  ought  to  know,  the  truth  is 
far  more  likely  to  be  assailed  with  objections  than  error.  There 
are  more  who  are   engaged   in  opposing  truth  than  error^  perhaps 


GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED.  207 

ten  to  one.  None  but  the  true  believer  finds  a  real  interest  and  a 
real  pleasure  in  supporting  the  truth,  while  the  great  mass  of  un- 
godly men  are  strongly  in  the  opposition.  Hence  all  those  whose 
hearts  are  at  enmity  with  truth,  are  engaged,  and  have  been  ever 
since  the  apostacy,  in  fabricating  objection  to  truth,  while  very 
few  have  endeavored  to  meet  these  objections  with  a  proper  answer. 

And  moreover  when  objections  to  truth  have  been  invented, 
there  are  ten  who  will  circulate  them,  where  one  will  make  the 
same  sacrifice  to  disseminate  the  truth.  Hence  when  a  book  or 
pamphlet  full  of  error  leaves  the  press,  many,  because  they  hate 
the  truth,  will  purchase  it,  and  give  it  circulation  ;  but  if  there  fol- 
low it  an  able  answer,  there  will  be  few,  perhaps  none,  who  will 
make  a  similar  sacrifice.  Christians  should  not  he  so  remiss,  but  it 
was  long  since  declared,  that  "  The  children  of  this  world  are 
wiser  in  their  generation  than  the  children  of  light."  The  fact 
then  must  be  that  ten  will  become  familiar  with  objections  to  truth, 
where' o?ze  will  hear  those  objections  answered.  Against  the  truth 
then  there  will  stand  more  objections  than  against  error,  hence  a 
doctrine  strongly  and  frequently  objected  to  by  unbelievers,  has 
presumptive  evidence  of  its  truth.  And  perhaps,  in  a  world  like 
ours,  truth  has  no  test  more  infallible. 

We  shall  be  sadly  mistaken,  however,  if  we  suppose  that  a  mere 
profession  will  make  men  the  friends  of  truth,  and  that  all  is  error 
to  which  those  w^ho  make  profession  are  opposed.  It  not  unfre- 
quently  happens  that  truth  finds  its  bitterest  enemies  within  the 
pale  of  the  communion,  and  even  in  the  sacred  ministry.  As  there 
was  a  Judas  in  the  apostleship,  so  in  the  gospel  ministry  there  are 
men,  0  that  it  were  not  so,  who  bend  all  their  energies  to  betray 
the  design  and  to  pollute  the  honors  of  their  Lord. 

But  let  us  apply  the  rule.  What  doctrines  are  constantly  as 
sailed  by  unsanctified  men  1  What  doctrines  are  the  drunkard, 
the  liar,  the  profane,  the  swindler,  and  the  Sabbath-breaker,  ever 
prepared  to  repel  1  What  doctrines  has  it  been  considered  im- 
proper to  preach,  because  of  the  numerous  objections  that  stand 
against  them,  and  which  are  supposed  to  destroy  their  usefulness'? 
Ascertain  those  facts,  and  you  learn  what  is  truth.     I  close  with 

REMAJIKS. 

1.  We  see  why  the  Bible  in  all  its  parts  is  so  entirely  karmomous, 
and  has  so  long  continued  in  use.  Writers  so  numerous,  and  so 
separated  as  to  time,  place,  education,  and  habit,  could  not  have 
written  so  harmoniously,  but  from  the  fact   that  they  all  wrote 


208  GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED. 

truth,  and  nothing'  else,  and  truth  is  consistent  with  itself.  And 
if  the  sacred  volume  by  Divine  direction  should  be  continued,  and 
an  additional  prophecy  or  epistle  be  written  in  every  future  age 
down  to  the  last  day,  they  would  all  agree.  Each  under  the  guid- 
ance of  the  Holy  Ghost  would  write  only  unadulterated  truth,  and 
truth  is  consistent  with  itself.  Hence  the  word  of  God,  unlike 
every  other  book,  can  never  thwart  its  own  track,  and  can  never 
become  obsolete. 

2.  We  see  why  no  other  book  can  outlive  a  few  short  generations. 
All  others,  although  containing  some  truth,  contain  also  error  suf- 
ficient to  bring  them  soon  into  disuse.  Error  is  ever  transitory. 
Let  a  book  have  been  written  if  you  please  in  the  first  age  of  the 
world,  be  it  inspired  or  not,  and  let  it  contain  nothing  but  truth, 
and  that  truth  important,  and  it  shall  be  fit  for  use  till  the  funeral 
of  the  world,  and  shall  be  new  and  interesting  to  every  succeeding 
generation  of  men.  The  character  of  God  is  pledged  for  the  se- 
curity of  truth,  and  nothing  else.  It  is  as  old  as  God,  and  will 
have  a  being  commensurate  with  his.  Its  very  nature  is  eternal. 
Truth  is  the  reflected  image  of  being  and  of  fact.  Hence  ever 
since  there  was  any  being  or  any  fact,  and  while  these  endure, 
truth  must  live.  But  error  has  attached  to  it  no  such  immortality. 
Perhaps  it  would  not  be  saying  too  much  to  assert  that  every  un- 
inspired volume,  has  attached  to  it  error  sufficient  to  sink  it  sooner 
or  later  into  the  grave. 

3.  We  are  now  prepared  to  say,  that  one  cannot  reject  the  truth  and 
be  innocent.  The  marks  of  truth  are  so  visible,  that  one  cannot 
mistake  it  but  from  choice.  Its  features  are  all  prominent  and 
visible,  and  must  be  familiar  to  every  man  who  has  made  a  proper 
use  of  his  eyes  and  his  understanding.  Hence,  to  not  know  the 
truth,  or  embrace  error,  is  sin,  and  argues  a  heart  unsanctified.  He 
who  loves  God  must  wish  to  know  and  love  the  truth.  Christ 
viewed  the  truth  of  such  importance,  that  he  came  into  the  world 
to  declare  the  truth,  and  will  now  frown  upon  the  man  who  dimin- 
isiies  its  value. 

It  is  absurd  to  suppose  that  trutli  has  a  character  so  doubtful 
that  it  cannot  be  known.  If  God  has  placed  his  statute-book  in 
our  hands,  he  will  expect  us  to  be  familiar  with  the  laws  of  his 
kingdom.  He  has  not  furnished  us  an  unintelligible  code.  He 
has  not  suspended  our  destiny  on  a  belief  of  the  truth,  and  yet  left 
it  so  uncertain  what  we  should  believe,  that  it  is  no  crime  to  believe 
a  lie.  The  Holy  Ghost  would  not  inspire  for  us  a  volume  which 
we  cannot  understand.     If  God  sanctifies  his  people  through  the 


GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED. 


209 


truth,  there  is  not  the  same  hope  that  those  are  bound  for  heaven 
who  believe  a  lie,  as  those  who  believe  the  truth.  We  cannot  be 
sanctified  through  that  truth  Avhich  we  do  not  embrace.  Hence  it 
would  seem  that  it  must  be  fatally  criminal  to  reject  the  distin- 
guishing doctrines  of  the  gospel. 

4.  If  the  definitions  which  I  have  given  of  truth  be  correct,  sin 
ners  ought  to  wish  to  hear  those  doctrines  which  they  do  not  re- 
lish, and  which  fill  them  with  distress,  for  none  else  are  true.  It 
would  be  easy  to  preach  so  as  never  to  distress  or  offend  impeni- 
tent men,  but  it  would  not  be  the  gospel,  and  the  preaching  would 
be  useless.  They  would  sleep  under  it  till  they  waked  in  perdi- 
tion. They  would  neither  quarrel  nor  repent.  There  are  such 
preachers,  and  the  effect  of  their  labors  is  exactly  what  we  should 
expect.  Their  "  burden  of  the  Lord"  is  a  mere  heathen  morality, 
and  the  best  effect  a  mere  reform  of  some  grosser  vice,  leaving  the 
moral  character  unbleached,  and  the  heart  unchanged. 

But  it  should  be  the  wish  of  perishing  men  to  hear  another  gos- 
pel, one  that  will  alarm  their  fears,  cut  off  their  false  hopes,  arouse 
their  consciences,  and  renew  their  hearts.  It  is  pleasant  to  find 
that  men  are  pleased,  but  far  more  important  to  find  that  they  aro 
sanctijied.  And  those  act  a  very  weak  part,  who  are  conscious  of 
impenitence,  and  yet  prefer  a  gospel  that  is  not  truth,  and  can 
never  point  them  to  heaven. 

Finally,  the  subject  will  help  us  to  account  for  the  stability  of  the 
Christian  character.  It  has  its  foundation  in  truth,  the  same  that 
is  the  basis  of  the  Divine  character,  and  of  the  throne  itself  of 
God.  So  the  character  of  angels,  and  of  all  holy  beings,  is  built 
on  the  truth.  Hence  a  holy  character  will  differ  as  to  its  perman- 
ency, from  the  character  of  the  sinner,  as  much  as  the  trulh  dif- 
fers from  falsheood.  Every  Christian  principle  is  some  truth  of 
God,  every  grace  some  impress  of  truth  upon  the  heart.  Hence 
we  expet't  the  Christian  character,  and  no  other,  to  have  perman- 
ency, unless  that  truth  could  become  mutable  on  which  it  is  found- 
ed. Christ  styles  himself  the  truth,  and  is  tha^  rock  on  which  his 
people  build  their  character  and  their  hopes  :  "Christ  in  you  the 
hope  of  glory." 

Hence  the  believer,  though  "kept  by  the  power  of  God  through 
faith  unto  salvation,"  has  a  permanency  of  character,  from  the  fact, 
that  God  sanctifies  him  through  the  truth.  He  grows  in  grace 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  ;  and  to  whatever  moral  stature 
he  attains,  truth  secures  his  standintr,  "  Till  we  all  come  in  the 
unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a 
.VOL.  11.  27 


210  GOSPEL    TRUTH    DISTINGUISHED. 

perfect   man,  unto   the  measure  of  the   stature   of  the   fulness  of 
Christ."     Thus  it  is  made  certain  that  the  saints  shall  never  fall. 

But  we  do  not  wonder  that  those  who  have  no  such  idea  of  the 
permanency  of  truth,  doubt  whether  the  believer  will  assuredly 
persevere.  Those  who  suppose  him  to  build  his  house  upon  the 
sand,  must  fear,  lest  when  the  floods  come  and  the  winds  blow,  its 
foundations  be  removed,  and  it  fall.  But  he  builds  upon  a  rock, 
firm  as  heaven  itself,  and  we  shall  see  him  safe,  when  every  other 
rock,  but  that  which  he  makes  his  foundation,  is  melted  down  ; 
and  when  those  who  have  not  built  on  Christ  and  on  truth,  "  shall 
call  upon  the  rocks  and  mountains  to  fall  on  them,  and  hide  them 
from  the  face  of  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  from  the 
wrath  of  the  Lamb." 

May  God  bless  his  truth,  to  the  sanctification  of  his  people  ;  and 
make  them  zealous  to  learn  it,  and  to  propagate  it.  May  he  give 
us  a  high  esteem  for  our  Bibles,  and  Sabbaths  and  sanctuaries,  and 
a  preached  gospel,  by  the  aid  of  which  we  learn  truth.  And  may 
he  sanctify  his  ministers,  and  leave  none  of  them  to  "  depart  from 
the  faith,  giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits,  and  doctrines  of  devils." 
And  may  he  through  the  truth  glorify  his  own  name,  and  prepare 
a  crreat  multitude,  that  no  man  can  number,  to  worship  about  his 
throne  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 


SERMON     LIX. 
THE  CHRISTIAN'S  BEST  FRIEND  AGGRIEVED. 

EPHESIANS    IV.    30. 
Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God. 

If  I  must  doubt  whether  there  be  a  trinity  of  persons  in  the 
Godhead,  I  should  question  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures.  The 
distinct  personahty  of  the  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  seems 
to  me  as  plain  a  truth  as  any  other  in  the  whole  Bible,  and  cannot 
be  rejected  without  the  danger  of  going  into  infidelity.  In  the 
mysterious  division  of  the  work  of  redemption,  it  became  the 
business  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  make  the  sinner  willing,  in  the  day 
of  God's  power,  to  renew  and  sanctify  the  heart,  and  quicken  to 
spiritual  life  and  action,  the  dead  in  sin.  And  after  he  has  begun 
eternal  life  in  his  people,  he  dwells  in  their  hearts,  and  is  there  a 
well  of  water  springing  up  to  everlasting  life. 

The  Holy  Spirit  was  promised  to  the  apostles  under  the  title  of 
the  Comforter,  and  has  exerted  his  agency  in  every  conversion 
since  there  was  a  Church,  and  been  the  guide  to  heaven  of  every 
child  of  the  apostacy,  who  has  gone  and  took  his  seat  at  the  mar- 
riage supper  of  the  Lamb.  If  there  is  in  any  mind  a  heavenly 
thought,  or  in  any  heart  a  holy  volition,  it  is  all  the  work  of  that 
Divine  agent.  Hence  his  favor  is  life.  One  had  better  grieve 
every  friend  he  has,  and  wander  homeless,  and  die  deserted,  with 
none  to  watch  him  or  to  pray  for  him,  or  bury  him,  than  to  grieve 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  and  be  abandoned  of  him. 

I  have  supposed  that  grieving  the  Spirit  of  God,  was  a  deed  that 
none  but  Christians  can  do.  The  enemies  of  God  may  resist  his 
Spirit,  and  may  quench  his  Spirit,  but  his  people  only  can  grieve 
him.  So  it  is,  you  know,  in  human  affairs  ;  an  enemy  may  insult 
us  and  offend  us,  ^.friend  it  is  that  grieves  us. 

It  will  be  my  object  to  show  how  the  people  of  God  may  grieve 
his  Spirit,  and  what  the  consequences  that  must  follow. 

I.  How  may  the  people  of  God  grieve  his  Spirit  ? 

1.    When  they  limit  his  ability  or  his  willingness  to  bless  them. 


212  THE    christian's    best   friend    AGGRIKVED. 

The  Spirit  of  God  has  done  so  much  for  tliem  already,  that  all 
cause  of  fear,  as  to  what  he  can  do,  and  will  do,  if  they  are  ready, 
is  out  of  place.  It  was  a  great  sin  in  Israel,  after  they  had  wit- 
nessed the  wonders  done  in  Egypt,  and  has  seen  the  water  of  the 
Red  Sea  divide,  to  make  them  a  passage,  to  have  any  doubt  wheth- 
er he  could  enable  them  to  subdue  the  Anakims,  and  whether  he 
would  give  them  water  to  drink  and  flesh  to  eat. 

But  that  people,  when  they  limited  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  had 
not  seen  more  illustrious  displays  of  the  might  and  the  mercy  of 
their  Deliverer,  than  have  the  people  of  God  in  these  days  of  the 
amazing  power  and  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  who  could  sub- 
due your  hearts,  ye  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  what  can  he  not 
do  for  you  1  He  who  could  awaken  you,  when  you  was  purposed 
in  your  heart  that  you  would  never  see  the  danger  you  were  in  ; 
who  could  uncover  to  you  the  destruction  that  way-laid  you  ;  who 
could  convict  you  of  sin,  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment  to 
come,  when  you  had  carefully  barred  every  avenue  that  would  ad- 
mit the  light  ;  could  bring  out  to  a  Savior's  feet,  and  make  you 
his  willing  captives  ;  what  is  there  now  he  cannot  do  for  you  1  What 
lust  can  he  not  conquer,  and  what  foe  of  yours  can  he  not  bring 
to  the  ground  and  lay  low  at  your  feet  1  How  can  you  doubt  a 
moment  of  his  ability  and  his  mercy,  to  guide  you,  and  keep  you 
unto  everlasting  life  1 

And  after  the  precious  instances  of  revival  that  you  have  wit- 
nessed, and  the  power  displayed  by  the  Holy  (Jhost,  in  subduing  to 
love  and  obedience  the  has  •  t  of  men,  and  bringing  scores  of  the 
ungodly  to  yield  to  the  force  of  truth,  and  become  willing  in  the 
day  of  God's  power;  how  can  you  doubt  but  he  can  give  you  oth- 
er precious  revivals,  and  renew  to  you  the  scenes  you  have  wit- 
nessed, and  more  yet  1  What  other  proofs  can  he  give  but  that 
which  he  has  given,  that  you  have  only  to  be  ready  and  he  will  do 
his  wonders  before  your  eyes,  till  you  are  satisfied!  And  there 
is  no  sinner  you  pray  for  but  he  can  be  melted  and  subdued,  and 
moulded  over  into  a  humble  and  devoted  and  heavenly-minded 
Christian  1  And  his  willingness  to  operate  is  commensurate  with 
his  ability.  If  he  would  help  you  when  you  felt  that  you  could 
not  do  without  him,  and  give  those  tokens  of  his  mercy  that  you 
felt  you  must  have  or  die,  why  will  he  not  do  the  same  again  1  If 
you  have  sinned,  and  do  not  deserve  his  interposing  mercy,  so  you 
had  when  he  did  interpose  the  last  time.  When  you  prayed  for 
that  child  that  he  did  swe,  you  went  to  him  as  a  poor  sinner,  not 
deservinfj  at  all  the  mercy  you  asked,  and  why  not  expect  that  the 


THE  christian's  b?:st  friend  aggrieved.  213 

Spirit  of  God  will  as  readily  operate  now  as  then  1  Why  then 
should  we  limit,  and  thus  grieve  the  Holy  One  1  If  such  has  been 
the  power  and  the  mercy  of  the  Divine  operations  in  days  past, 
that  the  highest  faith  is  due,  and  there  is  the  broadest  foundation 
for  confidence  that  the  Spirit  will  operate  as  soon  as  we  are  ready, 
why  should  Christians  grieve  him  by  limiting  his  power  and  his 
mercy. 

2.  They  grieve  him  when  they  expect  their  comforts  from  any  other 
source.  The  people  of  God  often  try  to  be  happy  without  him. 
There  are  so  many  channels  through  which  joj;-  is  communicated 
to  the  heart,  that  we  are  prone  to  forget  its  source.  We  may, 
by  this  means,  be  guilty  of  an  idolatry,  though  not  as  gross, 
yet  as  offensive  to  the  Spirit  of  God  as  the  temporary  wor- 
ship of  Mammon  or  Moloch.  This  is  the  case  when  even  means 
of  grace  are  trusted  in  as  sure  to  communicate  comfort.  We  may 
idolize  the  ministry  of  reconciliation,  the  Sabbath,  the  ordinances, 
the  place  of  prayer,  and  even  the  closet.  In  young  converts  no- 
thing is  more  common  than  the  deep  assurance,  that  the  same 
place,  the  same  practice,  and  the  same  pew,  will  produce  the  same 
blessedness.  And  often  it  is  not  till  after  many  a  sore  disappoint- 
ment, that  they  are  taught  to  repair  immediately  to  him  whose 
influence  is  life  and  peace.  God  would  have  us  estimate  the  means, 
and  set  a  price  as  high  as  he  has  upon  every  medium  of  holy  joy. 
But  when  we  forget,  as  we  are  prone  to  forget,  that  we  must  go  a 
little  beyond  the  watchman,  before  we  shall  find  him  whom  our 
soul  loveth ;  must  pass  through  the  means  and  thei-e  is  joy,  and 
the7-e  is  God,  then  is  the  Spirit  grieved.  His  Divine  agency  is  un- 
dervalued, and  the  joy  he  would  communicate  is  withheld,  till  we 
are  made  to  feel  that  the  Spirit  of  God  must  operate,  or  every 
means  must  lose  its  influence. 

3.  It  is  equally  true  that  we  grieve  the  Spirit  of  God,  when  we 
neglect  the  means  of  grace.  There  is  an  established  process,  by 
which  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  ordinarily  comforts  his  people.  M- 
most  all  his  Jop,  and  probably,  did  we  know  more  fully  the  way  of 
the  Spirit,  we  should  say  all  his  joys,  are  bestowed  as  a  blessing 
on  the  means  of  grace.  Here  he  exerts  his  Divine  influence.  He 
lifts  the  soul  toward  heaven,  when  the  soul  makes  an  effort  to  rise 
in  prayer.  He  pours  in  truth  upon  the  mind,  when  the  mind  is 
laboring  to  know  the  truth.  He  generates  holy  affections,  when 
he  discovers  in  his  people  grief  for  sin,  and  ardent  desires  to  be 
more  holy.  Hence  the  house  of  God,  rather  than  any  other  place, 
has  been  the  scene   of  his  most  frequent  and  his  mightiest  opera- 


214  THE  christian's  best  friend  aggrieved. 

tions.  Here  he  has  fed  his  people,  has  cheered  their  desponden- 
cies, has  raised  their  hopes,  has  strengthened  their  faith,  has 
enabled  them  to  mount  on  wings  as  eagles,  to  run  and  no.t  be 
weary,  to  walk  and  not  faint.  Here,  with  a  preached  gospel,  the 
word  of  his  grace,  that  truth  through  which  it  was  the  prayer  of 
the  Savior  that  the  Father  would  sanctify  his  people,  he  has,  in 
every  age,  since  there  was  a  Christian  Church,  shed  forth  his 
richest,  sweetest  comforts.  Here,  too,  he  has  awakened  and  re- 
newed the  sinner  ;  has  begun  in  the  heart  that  eternal  life  which 
it  is  his  promise,  and  his  oath,  shall  be  carried  on  till  the  day  of 
complete  redemption.  Here  all  our  precious  revivals  have  begun, 
and  have  been  carried  on,  by  what  has  been  termed  the  foolishness 
of  preaching. 

And  God  has  greatly  blessed  the  place  o{ prayer  and  conference. 
These  unnoticed  retreats  have  been,  in  thousands  of  instances,  the 
scenes  of  such  Divine  display  as  have  made  angels  glad,  and  have 
'multiplied  the  number  of  the  saved.  Christians  have  dated  their 
very  best  comforts  in  some  of  these  consecrated  retreats.  In  an- 
swer to  prayer,  every  comfort  has  dropped  from  heaven.  The 
heart  has  been  warmed  in  the  concert  of  prayer,  beyond  almost 
any  other  place.  Those  hours  nearest  akin  to  heaven,  and  the 
most  deeply  engraved  upon  the  memory  and  the  heart,  to  be  the 
subject  of  everlasting  recollection,  and  of  delightful  mention  in  the 
anthems  of  heaven,  have  been  those  where  pious  hearts  met,  and 
were  melted  together  at  the  foot  of  the  cross — unless  it  be  those 
seasons  when  the  soul  was  alone  with  God,  while  there  were  none 
to  disturb  and  none  to  share  the  sacred  joy.  Perhaps  no  comforts 
can  outweigh  these.  Hence  the  closet  is  that  most  sacred  and 
most  lovely  place  which  the  believer  is  the  last  to  quit,  where  he 
would  live  and  die.  There  the  heart  discloses  its  most  secret 
concerns,  delivers  its  most  confidential  message,  and  waits  for  for- 
giveness and  for  peace,  with  a  hope  that  takes  hold  of  the  horns 
of  the  altar  with  the  iron  grasp  of  death. 

If,  then,  God  has  thus  blessed  the  means  of  grace,  and  they  are 
rendered  by  his  appointment  so  essential  to  the  soul's  transforma- 
tion into  the  image  of  C4od,  the  Spirit  must  be  grieved  when  they 
are  neglected.  Their  neglect  develops  unbelief,  and,  what  is  more, 
contempt.  If  the  Spirit  operate,  he  must  choose  his  own  way. 
We  must  throw  ourselves  within  the  probable  reach  of  his  influ- 
ence, where  he  has  blest  others,  and  where  he  has  promised  to 
bless  us.  And  not  only  be  there  occasionally,  but  as  often  as  we 
feel  our  need  of  his  special  influences.     David  resolved  to  pray 


THE    christian's    BEST    FRIEND    AGGRIEVED.  215 

seven  times  a  day,  and  Daniel  three  times  in  the  day,  even  when 
he  knew  that  it  would  be  likely  to  cost  him  his  life.  Christians 
cannot  lightly  dispense  with  any  means  of  grace,  and  hot  grieve 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  they  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of 
redemption. 

4.  Christians  grieve  the  Spirit  of  God  when  they  neglect  to  make 
use  of  the  promises.  These  were  given  for  the  comfort  of  God's 
covenant  people,  were  indited  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  are  the 
principal  medium  through  which  he  communicates  to  the  heart  the 
richest  blessings  of  his  agency.  Here  the  Christian  must  apply 
when  he  needs  support,  and  he  will  find  the  promises  wonderfully 
adapted  to  his  circumstances.  If  he  feels  himself  to  be  a  great 
sinner,  here  is  a  promise  of  forgiveness ;  "  I  will  blot  out  thine 
iniquities,  and  remember  thy  sins  no  more."  If  he  feels  himself 
to  be  weak  and  defenceless,  the  promise  reads,  "  Fear  not  thou 
worm,  Jacob,  and  ye  men  of  Israel  ;  I  will  help  thee,  saith  the 
Lord,  and  thy  Redeemer,  the  holy  one  of  Israel.  Behold,  I  will 
make  thee  a  new  sharp  threshing  instrument,  having  teeth :  and 
thou  shalt  thresh  the  mountains,  and  beat  them  small,  and  shalt 
make  the  hills  as  chaff.  One  shall  slay  a  thousand,  and  two  shall 
put  ten  thousand  to  flight."  If  darkness  come  over  his  mind,  and 
it  ever  becomes  at  length  tangible,  like  the  night  of  Egypt,  still 
the  promise  reads,  "  He  that  walketh  in  darkness  and  hath  no 
light,  let  him  trust  in  the  Lord,  and  stay  hjmself  upon  his  God." 
If  he  fears  that  he  may  perish  amid  the  dangers  that  surround  him, 
he  may  read  and  be  comforted,  "  When  thou  passest  through  the 
waters,  I  will  be  with  thee  ;  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not 
overflow  thee  :  when  thou  walkest  through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not 
be  burned,  neither  shall  the  flames  kindle  upon  thee."  If  there 
come  an  hour  when  temptations  seem  too  sharp  and  frequent  for 
his  strength,  he  can  read  and  feel  safe.  No  temptation  has  hap- 
pened to  you,  but  such  as  is  common  to  men.  And  God  will,  with 
the  temptation,  make  also  a  way  of  escape.  Now  the  child  of  God 
offends  the  Divine  Comforter,  when  he  does  not  thus  apply  in  the 
hour  of  distress  to  the  promises  he  inspired. 

5.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  grieved  when  the  promises  are  misapplied. 
When  the  promise  of  forgiveness,  for  instance,  is  used  before  we 
have  repented  ;  when  the  promise  of  perseverance  is  made  to 
comfort  a  backsliding  believer,  when  anything  that  God  has  said 
engenders  a  hope  of  heaven,  while  the  affections  are  earthly,  sen- 
sual and  grovelling.  When  the  unbeliever  takes  sanctuary  in  the 
mercy  of  God  ;  and  when  the  Christian  hopes  to  be  comforted  any 


216  THE  christian's  best  friend  aggrieved. 

where  but  on  the  way  of  life,  there  is  offered  equally  an  insult  to 
the  Spirit  of  grace.  The  gracious  things  said  in  the  book  of  God 
are  all  appropriated  in  their  promulgation.  The  meek  only  will  he 
guide  in  the  way  and  cause  to  inherit  the  earth.  To  the  poor  in 
spirit  belongs  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  They  that  mourn  shall  be 
comforted.  To  those  only  who  keep  his  covenant  and  his  testimo- 
nies, are  all  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  righteousness  and  peace.  Those 
only  who  trust  in  the  Lord  and  do  good  shall  inherit  the  land, 
and  shall  verily  be  fed.  Those  shall  know  the  Lord  who  follow 
on  to  know  him.  Those  shall  find  him  who  seek  him  with  all 
their  heart. 

After  the  same  manner  are  all  the  promises  appropriated,  and 
may  neither  be  neglected  nor  misapplied.  Hence  every  man  who 
would  not  grieve  the  Spirit  of  God,  should  make  it  his  first  ques- 
tion, What  is  my  character  1  and  his  second,  What  kind  thing  has 
God  said  to  me  %  or  his^rs^  question,  What  is  my  condition  \  and 
his  second,  What  promise  reaches  such  a  condition  1  Then,  to  use 
the  emphatical  language  of  Scripture,  the  dogs  do  not  eat  the 
children's  bread.  There  are  times,  I  apprehend,  when  the  real  be- 
liever may  not  apply  to  the  refreshment  of  his  soul  a  single  pro- 
mise, but  must  let  the  Bible  lie  by  him,  as  the  offending  child,  faint 
and  hungry,  may  take  no  refreshment  from  his  father's  table.  He 
must  suffer  and  fast  till  he  is  humbled.  The  promise  is  ready  for 
him,  and  God  will  refresh  him  with  it,  when  he  has  brought  him  to 
feel  that  he  must  die  without  it.  To  this  spot  God  delights  to 
bring  his  people,  when  they  sin.  His  kindness  is  thus  the  more 
timely  and  the  more  welcome. 

IL  I  am  next  to  notice  the  consequences  of  grieving  the  Spirit. 
These  will  appear, 

1.  In  the  absence  of  Christian  consolations.  When  we  have  griev- 
ed the  Comforter,  how  can  we  hope  that  he  will  bestow  his  com- 
forts 1  When  he  has  brought  his  blessings  to  our  doors,  and  we 
treat  him  with  contempt  or  neglect,  he  will  leave  us  to  pore  over 
our  miseries,  and  perhaps,  to  howl  upon  our  beds.  How  striking 
a  feature  is  this  in  the  history  of  God's  people,  recorded  in  his 
word  !  David  grieved  the  holy  Spirit  of  God,  and  we  hear  him 
complain  at  the  noise  of  the  water-spouts.  Deep  calleth  unto 
deep.  All  thy  waves  and  thy  billows  are  gone  over  my  soul.  He 
wet  his  couch  with  tears.  All  his  bones  were  out  of  joint.  God 
broke  him  with  his  tempest.  He  was  made  to  bear  the  iniquities 
of  his  youth. 


THE    CHRISTIAN  S    BEST    FRIEND    AGGRIEVED.  217 

And  how  well  has  all  this  accorded  with  the  experience  of  God's 
people  in  all  ages  since,  when  they  have  grieved  the  Spirit.  He 
withdrew  his  consolation.  They  fasted,  and  prayed,  and  wept,  and 
God  hid,  as  it  were,  his  face  from  them.  Wearisome  nights  were 
appointed  unto  them.  They  looked  toward  death  with  gloomi- 
ness. Tosvard  heaven  they  cast  the  fearful  glance  of  abandon- 
ment. They  dinged  to  the  covenant  as  a  drowning  man  to  the 
plank  floating  by  him. 

2.  When  the  Spirit  has  been  grieved,  it  appears  in  the  withering 
of  the  Christian  graces.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  the  grand  agent,  by 
whose  influence  every  holy  affection  is  nourished.  Hence  his  in- 
fluence upon  the  heart  compared  to  the  rain,  on  which  nature  is 
dependant  for  all  its  beauty,  and  all  its  fertility.  Let  the  showers 
be  withholden,  and  how  soon  will  every  field  and  every  garden 
wither  !  How  soon  will  the  sterility  of  death  cover  the  face  of 
creation,  and  the  veriest  Eden  be  converted  into  a  desert !  How 
will  the  plant  wither,  and  the  landscape  fade,  and  culture  become 
useless  when  there  no  longer  falls  the  timely  and  refreshino-  show- 
er !  So  faith,  and  love,  and  hope,  all  fail,  when  the  Spirit  of  God 
has  been  grieved.  There  can  neither  be  seen  the  humility,  nor  the 
heavenly-mindedness,  nor  the  spirit  of  prayer,  nor  the  watchfulness, 
nor  the  meekness,  nor  any  of  the  other  graces  which  stand  out 
to  view,  when  the  Spirit  of  God  is  operating.  The  life-giving 
breeze  does  not  blow  upon  the  garden,  causing  the  spices  to  flow 
out.  The  Christian,  when  he  has  grieved  away  the  Spirit  of  God, 
becomss,  for  the  time  being,  merely  a  decent  worldling,  rising  but 
one  small  degree  above  the  man  who  was  never  born  of  God.  His 
lamp,  if  it  may  not  be  said  to  have  gone  out,  dies  away  till  it  casts 
hardly  a  ray  of  light  into  the  darkness  of  this  revolted  world. 

3.  When  the  Spirit  is  grieved,  oae  of  the  effects  is  Me  loosening 
of  the  bonds  of  Christian  affection.  This  affection  originates  in  love 
to  Christ ;  hence,  if  that  love  decays,  all  the  affections  that  de- 
pend upon  it,  suffer  a  correspondent  decay.  Christ  is  the  head  by 
which  all  the  limbs  are  united,  and  live  and  act  in  unison.  He  is 
the  vine.  Amputate  the  branch  from  the  vine,  and  it  immediately 
loses  its  connection  with  all  the  other  branches.  What  is  the  be- 
liever to  me,  when  I  have  no  longer  any  interest  in  him  who  is  the 
believer's  life  1  Now  if  there  be  not,  and  this  is  not  pretended,  a 
final  abandonment  of  the  covenant,  still  if  covenant  engagements 
are  disregarded,  and  he  whose  agency  is  to  see  the  covenant  rati- 
fied, withholds  his  influence,  why  expect  any  union  among  those 
whom  it  was  intended  to  bind  ?     Sink  the  believer  down  into  the 

VOL.  II.  28 


218  THE  christian's  best  friend  aggrieved. 

the  man  he  once  was,  and  why  expect  he  will  wish  any  other  than 
ungodly  men  for  his  associates  1  The  union  of  God's  people  to 
each  other  will  ever  bear  an  exact  proportion  to  the  growth  and 
vigor  of  their  piety.  Hence,  in  the  absence  of  the  Spirit's  sancti- 
fying influence,  there  decays,  with  the  other  graces,  love  to  the 
brethren,  and  the  ligature  is  sundered  that  holds  together  the  fami- 
ly of  the  the  faithful.  Hence  all  the  discords,  the  divisions,  and 
the  broils;  the  hard  names  and  the  angry  feelings,  that  have  sun- 
dered believers. 

4.  When  the  Spirit  is  grieved  the  Christian  becomes  a  worldling. 
Losing  his  heavenly  hopes  and  his  celestial  comforts,  there  remain 
none  but  earthly  hopes  and  creature  comforts.  The  Christian  is 
not  only  made  to  differ  from  the  man  of  the  world  at  the  first,  by 
the  agency  of  the  Spirit,  but  this  difference  is  continued  by  the 
same  agency.  Just  like  a  weight  suspended  in  the  air,  he  sinks 
the  moment  he  is  not  supported.  The  graces  which  the  Spirit 
generates  makes  the  difference  ;  these  suspended  and  the  resem- 
blance returns.  Clip  the  wings  of  the  dove,  and  what  is  she  but 
a  reptile  1  She  must  tread  upon  earth,  and  gather  her  food  in  the 
Just.  The  man  is  not  willing  to  be  destitute  of  comforts.  If  he 
may  not  eat  the  bread  of  heaven,  he  hankers  after  the  leeks  and 
onions  of  Egypt.  When  the  first  king  of  Israel  found  that  the 
Lord  did  not  answer  him  as  aforetime,  he  sought  to  the  witch  of 
Endor  for  the  guidance  he  needed.  The  Lord's  people  are  a  mis- 
erable set  of  beings,  when  the  Spirit  has  departed  from  them. 
They  will  need,  t^  make  them  happy,  all  the  woldly  prosperity 
they  had  before,  and  more  yet,  and  will  covet  it  as  eagerly  as  the 
man  who  has  never  risen  with  Christ,  nor  has  ever  learned  to  seek 
those  things  that  are  above. 

5.  When  God's  people  have  grieved  the  Spirit,  he  ceases  to  mvl- 
tiply  their  numbers  by  the  conversion  of  sinners.  He  has  so  honored 
them  as  to  operate  in  answer  to  their  prayers.  I  will  be  inquired 
of  by  the  house  of  Israel  to  bless  them.  When  Zion  travails  she 
brino-s  forth  children.  God  works  by  means  ;  and  when  the  peo- 
ple of  God  become  backsliders,  the  means  cease,  and  the  work  of 
God  is  stayed.  He  thus  puts  honor  upon  his  people  ;  makes  them 
the  instruments  of  doing  him  service,  and  has  himself  the  pleasure 
of  rewarding  them.  They  would  be  less  happy  if  God  had  given 
them  no  opportunity  to  labor  in  his  service.  Hence,  when  they 
have  grieved  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  and  he  has  withdrawn  his 
influence,  and  as  a  sure  result,  they  have  lost  their  relish  for  his 
service,  he  sufTers  sinners  to  sleep  on  and  perish.     It  is  considered 


THE    christian's    BEST   FRIEND    AGGRIEVED.  219 

an  established  matter  of  fact,  that  God  does  not,  and  the  presump- 
tion is  that  he  will  not,  revive  his  work,  till  his  people  are  revived, 
and  are  ready  to  be  workers  together  with  God.  Believers  then 
are  urged  not  to  grieve  away  the  Divine  influence,  by  all  that  a 
soul  is  worth,  and  by  all  that  a  multitude  of  souls  are  worth.  And 
if,  in  an  evil  hour,  the  Spirit  has  been  grieved,  they  are  urged  to 
repent,  and  humble  themselves  at  his  feet,  by  all  the  importance 
that  could  possibly  attach  itself  to  a  precious  and  extensive  work 
of  God,  among  the  ungodly  around  them. 


1.  Believers  can  do  nothing  that  is  ao  the  same  time  so  great  a  cala- 
mity and  so  great  a  crime  as  to  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  feel 
the  injury  first  themselves,  in  their  languishing  graces,  and  their 
loss  of  comforts  ;  in  their  beclouded  prospects,  and  their  dimin- 
ished hopes.  Nor  would  it  be  a  conjecture  wholly  groundless, 
that  they  may  be  affected  in  their  interests  for  ever,  by  every  sea- 
son of  relapse.  They  may  be  thus  rendered  lesser  stars  in  the 
firmament  of  God  for  ever.  And  how  many  souls  may  perish  by 
the  deed,  we  cannot  know,  till  the  season  of  action  is  past,  and  the 
character  of  all  around  us  formed  and  finished,  and  their  destiny 
about  to  be  fixed. 

2.  Let  me  say  that  God^s  people  may  easily  know  when  they  have 
grieved  away  the  Divine  Spirit.  He  will  carry  away  all  his  comforts 
with  him.  They  will  be  happy  in  none  of  those  things  that  once 
contributed  to  their  joy.  There  will  be  no  communion  kept  up 
with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  All  intercourse 
with  the  throne  of  grace  will  be  interrupted,  and  darkness  will 
come  upon  the  believer  as  soon  as  he  begins  to  pray.  No  matter 
when  he  attempts  the  duty,  the  place  will  be  dark.  There  will 
fall  neither  rain  nor  dew.  The  heavens  will  be  brass,  and  the  earth 
iron  under  his  feet.  And  the  circulation  of  a  heavenly  influence 
between  him  and  the  family  of  believers  will  be  interrupted,  and 
there  will  be  a  suspension  of  Christian  fellowship.  And  there  will 
be  no  visions  of  heaven.  There  will  cover  the  sun  of  righteous- 
ness a  cloud,  dark  and  black  as  midnight.  The  believer  will  now 
grope  his  way  as  the  blind  do,  and  stumble  at  noonday  as  in  the 
night.  Those  horrid  falls,  that  have  crippled  and  half  destroyed 
the  children  of  God  in  all  ages,  have  happened  when  the  Spirit  had 
been  grieved  away.  David  and  Peter  had  grieved  the  Spirit  when 
he  left  them  to  stand  in  that  critical  hour  alone.     The  spouse  in 


220  THE  christian's  best  friend  aggrieved. 

the  song  had  grieved  him  away,  when  she  went  about  the  streets 
inquiring,  "  Saw  ye  him  whom  my  soul  loveth  1" 

There  is  bat  one  source  whence  come  all  the  believer's  com- 
forts, from  the  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit.  Hence,  if  he  is 
grieved,  the  spring  of  his  consolations  is  dried  up,  and  he  must  as 
assuredly  famish,  if  this  fountain  is  not  again  opened,  as  the  word 
of  God  is  true.  Hence  it  would  seem  that  the  believer  can  easily 
know  if  he  has  done  this  disastrous  work  ;  can  know  by  the  pov- 
erty, and  misery,  and  desolation  of  his  soul ;  by  the  total  absence 
of  all  those  consolations  that  used  to  be  brought  to  him  by  the 
operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

3.  On  the  conduct  of  believers  depends  the  welfare  of  the  world. 
If  on  them  it  depends  under  God,  whether  the  multitudes  of  the 
ungodly  continue  to  throng  the  way  of  death,  then  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  they  can  withhold,  or  can  put  forth  an  agency  that  af- 
fects the  weal  or  the  wo  of  a  world.  While  then  you  sleep — ye 
redeemed  of  the  Lord — while  you  sleep,  and  your  graces  droop, 
and  your  character  sufTers,  and  your  lamp  goes  out,  there  lies 
around  you  a  depraved  and  prayerless  multitude,  who  are  forming 
a  character  for  the  pit,  and  pursuing  their  way  down  to  the  prison 
of  hell,  to  the  blackness  of  darkness  for  ever. 

4.  It  should  then  be  the  wish  of  the  men  of  the  worlds  that  God's 
people  live  near  to  kirn.  They  sometimes  imagine  that  it  is  better 
with  them  when  believers  let  down  their  watch  and  become  like 
themselves.  Then  their  consciences  do  not  reproach  them,  and 
they  have  not  such  fearful  alarms,  as  when  the  people  of  God 
come  out  from  them,  and  are  separate.  Still  they  never  make  a 
more  fearful  mistake,  than  when  slumbering  on  the  brink  of  ruin 
themselves,  they  wish  all  around  them  to  sleep  also.  If  it  is  their 
horrid  purpose  to  keep  their  stand  on  the  brink  of  death  eternal, 
they  should  be  as  wise  as  the  Macedonian,  and  appoint  one  at  least 
to  stand  at  the  door  of  their  dormitory,  and  cry,  day  by  day.  Wake, 
0  sleeper  ! 

5.  Hence  the  propriety  that  Christians  should  often  inquire  of 
themselves,  whether  they  are  acting  a  kind  part  toward  the  U7igodly. 
What  was  said  in  Israel,  in  a  time  of  national  calamity,  m.ay  apply, 
in  a  time  of  the  withdrawment  of  the  Divine  influence.  "  If  my 
people,  which  are  called  by  my  name,  shall  humble  themselves 
and  pray,  and  seek  my  face,  and  turn  from  their  wicked  ways, 
then  will  I  hear  from  heaven  and  will  forgive  their  sin,  and  will 
heal  their  land."  I  have  frequently  thought  of  this  text  with  plea- 
sure, and  have  styled  it  a  recipe  for  a  revival.     I  have  thought  it 


THE    christian's    BEST    FRIEND    AGGRIEVED.  221 

a  pity  that  any  Christian  should  live  without  a  knowledge  of  this 
precious  part  of  the  word  of  God,  it  is  found  in  2d  Chronicles,  vii 
chapter  and  H  verse.  Not  only  is  the  Minister  of  Christ  set  to 
watch  for  souls,  but,  in  a  very  important  sense,  every  believer  is  a 
watchman,  and  cannot  sleep,  but  he  endangers  the  souls  of  men. 
Instead  of  this,  it  should  be  his  object  to  keep  every  conscience 
around  him  alarmed,  till  the  lost  are  all  seen  flying  for  refuge,  to 
lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  them  in  the  gospel.  They  may 
not  sleep  while  there  is  one  lost  sinner  within  the  sound  of  their 
voice.  If  believers  would  not  bring  blood-guiltiness  upon  them- 
selves, and  calculate  by  and  by  to  complain  to  God,  "  All  thy 
waves  and  thy  billows  are  gone  over  my  soul,"  then  they 
should  not  sleep  as  do  others,  but  watch  and  be  sober.  There 
hangs  in  the  vigilance  of  God's  people  an  amount  of  interest  that 
outweighs  the  wealth  of  a  city,  and  the  wealth  of  a  world.  Their 
responsibility  is  greater  than  the  out-guards  of  a  camp  of  soldiery, 
when,  if  one  sentinel  should  fall  to  sleep,  it  might  cause  a  whole 
army  to  perish. 

(i.  But  in  these  circumstances,  what  can  the  Christian  do  to  re- 
cov"r  his  former  condition  ?  Why,  just  what  he  did  when  he  first 
foiMul  himself  a  lost  sinner — repent.  "But,"  says  the  poor  be- 
niglited  ami  comfortless  soul,  "  How  can  I  repent  without  the  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Ghost  1  and  I  have  grieved  him  away."  Then 
here  you  are  my  brother,  at  the  mercy  of  God.  Lie  down  and  de- 
te  mine  to  die,  if  you  must,  full  in  this  conviction.  The  Churches' 
ho|)e  of  you  is  wholly  in  the  provisions  of  the  covenant.  I 
wi'l  turn  you  to  a  leaf  or  two  of  that  covenaut :  "Behold, 
the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  ma'<e  a  new  cov- 
en mt  with  the  house  of  Israel,  and  with  the  house  of  Judah." 
Here  it  reads,  you  see,  "/  will  be  their  God  and  they  shall  be  my 
pe  iple."  He  does  not  intend  to  let  his  people  go.  They  would, 
if  he  would  let  them,  and  perish  every  soul  of  them,  even  after  he 
has  forgiven  them,  and  they  have  been  permitted  to  gaze  upon  the 
g!it.ies  of  the  Lamb.  Let  me  turn  you  to  another  leaf  of  that  com- 
pact. "  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  them,  that  I  will 
not  turn  away  from  them,  to  do  them  good  ;  but  I  will  put  my  fear 
in  their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart  from  7?ze."  On  another  page 
of  this  covenant,  it  reads,  "  My  salvation  shall  be  for  ever,  and  my 
rigliteousness  shall  not  be  abolished."  And  there  is  one  other 
page,  if  possible  still  more  precious,  "And  they  shall  be  my  peo 
pie,  and  I  will  be  their  God:  for  they  shall  return  unto  me 
with  their  whole   heart."     I  will  read  you  one   other  line  of  that 


222  THE    CHRISTIAN  S    BEST    FRIEND    AGGRIEVED. 

wondrous  compact,  which  God  has  made  with  his  people,  and 
leave  you  to  read  and  ponder  on  the  residue  :  "  If  they  break  my 
statutes,  and  keep  not  my  commandments ;  then  I  will  visit  their 
transgressions  with  the  rod,  and  their  iniquity  with  stripes.  Nev- 
ertheless, my  loving-kindness  will  I  not  utterly  take  from  him  nor 
suffer  my  faithfulness  to  fail.  My  covenant  will  I  not  break,  nor 
alter  the  thing  that  is  gone  out  of  my  lips."  Thus  are  you  shut 
up  to  the  covenant  mercy  of  God,  and  here  is  the  safest  place  to 
leave  you.  If  you  have  been  his  children,  and  have  grieved  away 
his  Spirit,  still  his  unbounded  mercy  can  reach  you.  He  can  res- 
tore to  you  the  joy  of  his  salvation,  and  then  uphold  you  with  his 
free  spirit. 


SERMON   LX. 

TERMS  OF  DIVINE  ACCEPTANCE. 

ACTS   XVI.  30. 
Sirs,  what  must  1  do  to  be  saved? 

Paul  and  Silas,  in  the  faithful  discharge  of  their  duty,  found 
themselves  at  length  immured  in  the  dungeons  of  Philippi.  There 
they  lifted  up  their  voices  in  prayer  and  praise  ;  and  the  prisoners 
heard  them  ;  and  what  was  to  them  of  far  higher  importance,  God 
heard  them,  and  sent  his  angels  to  deliver  them.  The  bars  of 
their  prison  were  sundered,  their  doors  flew  open,  and  their  bands 
were  loosed.  The  result  was,  a  deep  alarm  fastened  upon  the 
mind  of  the  prison-keeper,  venting  itself  in  the  language  of  the 
text,  "  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  1" 

Now  the  gospel  aims  to  bring  every  man  to  the  very  spot  where 
that  man  was  brought,  and  then  direct  him  to  a  Savior  and  to 
heaven.  There  must  be  alarm,  because  there  is  danger,  unless  in 
those,  perhaps  very  rare  cases,  when  a  Savior  is  embraced,  or 
rather  the  heart  prepared  to  receive  him,  before  the  danger  is  fully 
discovered.  Unless  we  see  our  danger  we  shall  make  no  effort  to 
escape  from  the  wrath  to  come.  And  men  will  have  so  soon  slept 
the  sleep  of  death,  and  alarm  be  of  no  avail,  that  humanity  requires 
every  possible  effort  to  wake  them. 

Hence,  no  curse  can  be  greater,  than  a  ministry  calculated  to 
keep  men  secure  in  their  sins.  At  no  other  point  does  there  await 
you  so  much  danger.  Your  servant  maybe  idle,  and  your  steward 
defraud  you,  and  your  best  friend  betray  you,  and  still  you  may 
suffer  but  a  temporary  loss  ;  but  if  he  who  is  the  mouth  of  God  to 
you,  deceive  you,  put  darkness  for  light  and  light  for  darkness, 
your  loss  may  be  irreparable. 

In  the  report  of  that  gospel  which  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will 
approve  at  his  coming,  the  text  must  be  fully  and  correctly  an- 
swered. The  sinner  must  know  exactly  the  terms  on  which  God 
will  accept  him.  One  may  have  some  general  notion  that  he  is  a 
sinner,  that  a  Savior  is  provided,  and  that  possibly  he  may  have 
life  through  that  Savior ;  and  still  be  so  much  in  the  dark  relative 


224  TERMS    OF    DIVINE    ACCEPTANCE. 

to  the  terms  of  acceptance,  as  to  miss  of  eternal  life.  The  mere 
fact  that  a  Savior  died,  if  fully  known,  is  not  sufficient  to  secure 
salvation.  The  bare  atonement,  if  there  be  no  application  of  it  to 
the  soul,  will  avail  nothing.  Christ  fulfilled  the  demands  of  the 
law  in  behalf  of  all  who,  in  the  appointed  way,  shall  become  in- 
terested in  his  blood.  But  if  this  atonement  be  neglected  ;  if  we 
listen  to  a  gospel  that  on  this  point  misdirects  us;  and  we  do  not 
become  qualified  to  enjoy  salvation,  it  will  no  otherwise  affect  ns, 
than  as  an  aggravation  of  our  condemnation.  My  plan  will  be,  to 
show  what  is  not  adequate  instruction  on  this  subject,  and  what  is. 

I.  I  am  to  show  what  is  not  adequate  instruction  on  this  subject. 
1,  When  men  are  urged  to  a  reforviation,  as  what  will  put  them 
into  the  way  of  life,  the  instruction  is  inadequate.  If  men  quit 
their  grosser  iniquities,  and  become  decent  and  civil,  still  no  pro- 
mise of  heaven  reaches  them  on  this  condition  merely.  Where 
in  the  gospel  are  any  such  terms  stated '(  I  know  that  men  are 
obligated  to  break  off  their  sins  by  righteousness,  forthwith.  John 
directed  some  bad  men  who  came  to  him,  to  cease  from  violence 
and  become  honest,  and  contented :  but  John  did  not  mean  to 
leave  them  here  :  hence  he  did  not  say,  that  on  these  terms  Christ 
would  receive  them.  These  were  rather  the  conditions  on  which 
they  could  be  prepared  to  receive  his  instruction  to  advantage. 
If  I  should  meet  with  a  drunkard,  or  a  thief,  and  they  should  ask 
me  about  the  gospel,  the  first  lessons  I  should  give  them,  would  be 
on  the  subjects  of  sobriety  and  honesty.  Men  are  sometimes  too 
far  gone  in  the  by-paths  of  death,  to  give  the  gospel  a  candid 
hearing,  and  learn  what  the  terms  of  salvation  are  ;  and  then  the 
first  lesson  given  them  may  have  respect  to  their  waywardness  ; 
and  when  the  gospel  has  gained  this  footing,  then  you  may  tell 
them  of  salvation  to  advantage. 

But  there  may  be  this  external  reformation,  and  there  often  has 
been,  while  yet  there  was  no  preparation  of  heart  to  receive  the 
Savior,  but  sin  was  loved,  and  rolled  as  a  sweet  morsel  under  the 
tongue.  Men  may  quit  their  sins  from  motive?  of  interest  or  am- 
bition. Gross  iniquities  are  scandalous  and  expensive,  and  may 
I.  abandoned  from  the  supreme  love  of  something  else  beside 
(  hrist. 

The  fear  of  the  wrath  to  come,  while  yet  there  is  a  prompt  and 
a  total  alienation  of  the  heart  from  God,  may  induce  men  to  break 
off  some  habit,  that  threatens  their  sure  and  speedy  perdition. 
But  there  is  not  a  text  in  one  of  the  pages  of  inspiration,  that  ex- 


TERMS    OF    DIVINE    ACCEPTANCE.  225 

hiblts  this  superficial  reformation,  as  the  condition  of  pardon  and 
acceptance  through  a  Savior.  The  young  man  that  would  know 
what  good  thing  he  must  do  to  inherit  eternal  life,  was  civil  and 
decent,  and  still  was  unfit  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  was  sent 
away  very  sorrowful.  It  will  not  be  denied  but  that  he  had  be- 
come a  moral  man,  but  he  still  loved  supremely  the  good  things 
of  this  life. 

2.  Wben  men  are  directed,  not  merely  to  break  ofT  some  of  the 
grosser  iniquities,  but  to  perform  some  of  the  mere  external  duties 
of  piety,  the  instruction  given  them  is  still  inadequate.  The  very 
same  motives  that  led  to  the  one,  will  often  lead  to  the  other. 
The  very  same  man,  who  would  cease  his  profaneness,  and  his 
Sabbath-breaking,  and  his  lewd  song-singing,  and  his  drunkenness, 
and  his  midnight  revelings,  because  he  had  become  ashamed  of 
their  vulgarity  ;  will  have  prayer  sometimes  in  his  family,  and  will 
attend  upon  a  preached  gospel,  and  have  a  Bible  in  his  house,  and 
read  it  occasionally,  because  all  this  is  civil  and  decent. 

And  sometimes  this  cheap  and  superficial  religion  is  the  high 
way  to  preferment.  Men  will  be  to  some  extent  religious,  if  thej' 
can  obtain  character  by  it,  and  can  make  it  a  stairway  to  office, 
and  influence,  and  wealth  too.  They  will  bow  and  cringe  to  men, 
and  God  too,  if  they  may  obtain  suff'rages  by  it.  Men  will  con- 
sent to  be  anything,  if  it  will  make  them  great  in  the  life  that 
now  is. 

And  they  will  perform  duties,  in  hopes  to  gain  heaven  by  this 
means.  If  God  will  excuse  them  for  hating  his  law,  and  charac- 
ter, and  government,  they  will  attend  upon  his  ordinances,  and  pay 
an  outward  respect  to  his  Sabbaths,  and  repeat  their  creed,  and 
rehearse  their  prayers;  and  account  it  a  cheap  salvation.  And 
this  it  will  be  found  is  not  an  unusual  resort  of  ungodly  men.  In 
every  period  of  alarm,  away  they  fly  to  Christian  ordinances.  So, 
in  the  darker  times  of  Israel,  they  would  steal,  murder,  and  commit 
adultery,  and  swear  falsely,  and  burn  incense  unto  Baal,  and  then 
come  and  stand  before  God  in  his  house.  And  it  is  declared,  in 
that  case,  that  they  trusted  in  lying  words  that  could  not  profit. 

God  has  never  spoken  of  this  external  attention  to  religious 
things,  as  the  terms  of  acceptance  with  him:  for  there  may  be 
still  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief.  The  prayers  uttered  by  the  lips,  may 
neither  have  their  source  in  the  heart,  nor  throw  back  upon  it  the 
least  impulse  to  piety.  They  may  not  even  ens^ross  the  thinking 
powers,  but  may  be  in  the  ears  of  Jehovah  like  the  prating  of  the 
parrot.     Men  have  no  doubt  uttered  prayers,  while  the  hostility  of 

VOL.  II.  29 


226  TERMS    OF    DIVINE    ACCEPTANCE. 

their  hearts,  could  they  have  been  conscious  of  it,  to  the  God  in- 
voked, and  the  Savior  whose  name  was  used,  would  have  driven 
them  from  their  knees,  and  sealed  up  their  lips  in  the  sullenness 
of  perdition.  And  the  Scriptures  have  been  read,  while  the  heart 
quarrelled  with  every  doctrine  and  duty  they  enforced.  And 
ordinances  have  been  attended,  and  Sabbaths  kept,  and  charities 
given,  and  confessions  made,  while  there  was  the  deadliest  hos- 
tility to  all  that  is  holy  in  God,  or  purifying  in  truth. 

3.  If  you  add  to  all  this  a  profession  of  godli?iess,  the  instruction 
given  is  still  inadequate.  In  professing  godliness,  men  often  add 
perjury  to  their  other  deeds  of  wrong.  A  profession  is  not  unfre- 
quently  the  very  climax  of  their  impudence,  and  their  daring. 
Ah,  how  mistaken  have  ministers  and  churches  been,  in  supposing 
that  when  they  had  persuaded  the  ungodly  to  enter  professedly 
into  covenant  with  God,  they  had  secured  to  some  extent  the  object 
of  the  gospel  institutions.  They  have  not  unfrequently  lived  to 
see  their  convert  a  more  daring  sinner  than  previously  to  his 
hypocritical  adoption  of  the  covenant ;  and  have  been  grieved  that 
they  had  not  left  him  without  the  enclosures  of  the  fold.  They 
brought  him  up  to  sealing  ordinances,  sprinkled  clean  water  upon 
him,  and  made  his  lips  touch  the  consecrated  symbols  of  a  dying 
Christ,  but  the  heart  remained  a  mass  of  moral  putrefaction  ;  and 
the  sacrifice  offered  was  but  a  smoke  and  a  stench  in  the  nostrils 
of  an  insulted  Savior.  They  painted  and  varnished  the  sepulchre, 
while  within  it  was  full  of  dead  men's  bones  and  all  uncleanness. 
It  is  many  a  time  obvious,  that  so  far  from  there  having  been  any 
thing  gained,  by  thrusting  the  worldling  into  this  religious  atmos- 
phere, you  have  but  the  more  effectually  blocked  up  the  last  ave- 
nue to  his  conscience,  and  thus  placed  him,  perhaps,  beyond  the 
reach  of  hope  and  of  heaven. 

But  suppose,  if  you  please,  the  very  best  case,  and  tell  me,  if  in 
this  visible  transformation,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  see  any 
thing  that  he  will  consider  a  compliance  with  the  terms  of  life 
and  salvation  which  he  offers  1  And  I  have  left  out  of  view  the 
question  whether  it  be  right  to  do  so  1  Whether,  without  the  bid- 
ding of  Jesus  Christ,  we  may  thus  administer  his  holy  ordinances 
to  unsanclified  men?  Are  we,  in  such  a  procedure,  honest  to 
souls  1  is  now  the  question.  May  we  encourage  them  thus  to 
compass  themselves  about  with  sparks  oi  their  own  kindling,  and 
walk  in  the  light  of  their  own  fires  1  Are  theij  safe,  or  we  honest, 
while  we  watch  no  better  the  gates  of  tl>«  sheepfold  1  The  press 
that  men  make  toward  sealing  ordinances,  is  a  proof  that  they  are 


TERMS    OF    DIVINE    ACCEPTANCE.  227 

uneasy  and  unhappy  ;  and  if  we  grant  their  wish,  do  we  answer 
honestly  and  fairly  the  question  thus  silently  put  to  us,  "  Sirs, 
what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  1"  Do  we  not  rather  seal  them  up  to 
a  perpetual  stupidity,  and  shall  we  not  have  to  answer  for  their 
blood,  in  the  day  that  inquisition  shall  be  made  for  it  1 

11.  Having  thus  endeavored  to  show,  what  is  not  adequate  m- 
struction  on  this  subject,  I  proceed  to  inquire,  what  is  ?  In  stating 
the  terms  on  -which  the  sinner  can  become  interested  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  I  should  choose  to  say : 

1.  He  must  explicitly  avow  his  approbation  of  the  law  he  has 
broken.  Here  begins,  under  every  government,  where  there  has 
been  revolt,  the  exercise  of  a  right  temper.  Christ  came  not  to 
destroy  the  law  but  to  fulfil  it.  This  declaration  is  found  on  the 
very  title  page  of  his  gospel.  Repent,  said  he,  for  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  at  hand.  And  what  is  repentance,  more  or  less, 
than  a  cordial  approbation  of  the  precept  that  has  been  violated  1 

Hence  the  language  of  penitence  in  all  ages  has  been  the  same. 
*'  The  law  is  good,  its  penalties  just,  and  its  whole  design  benevo- 
lent. God  had  not  been  kind,  had  he  given  us  any  other  law,  or 
been  willing  that  it  should  be  broken  with  impunity,  or  had  affixed 
any  lower  penalty,  or  accepted  any  meaner  sacrifice  than  his  own 
Son,  as  the  atoning  Lamb.  O,  I  am  a  wretch  for  having  broken 
this  law,  and  can  offer  no  possible  plea  that  shall  excuse  or  palli- 
ate the  smallest  deviation  from  its  precepts.  If  God  should  cast 
me  off  for  ever,  he  would  but  treat  me  as  I  deserve  to  be  treated, 
and  expect  to  be."  Thus  the  sinner  takes  to  himself  the  punish- 
ment of  his  sins,  and  thus  places  himself  in  an  attitude,  where 
Christ  can  begin  to  notice  him,  and  still  be  the  friend  and  patron 
of  the  Divine  law. 

With  this  principle  we  are  all  familiar.  The  child  sees  you 
pouring  your  frowns  upon  his  disobedience,  and  would  be  glad  if 
you  would  agree  with  him  in  reprobating  the  precept  he  has  vio- 
lated. But  your  authority  is  lost,  and  your  child  ruined,  if  you 
cease  to  frown,  till  he  confesses  that  he  has  broken  a  good  law. 
Then,  and  not  till  then,  can  you  relax  the  sternness  of  that  coun- 
tenance which  frowns  upon  his  disobedience.  The  teacher  places 
the  rebellious  child  at  his  feet,  and  he  must  be  there  till  he  con- 
fesses the  precept  just,  that  he  violated.  And  the  same  principle 
is  acted  upon  in  all  governments  that  admit  of  pardon. 

So  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  if  he  would  not  do  a  rebellious  world 
incalculable  mischief,  must  suffer  the  sinner  to  make  no  approach 


228  TERMS    OF    DIVINE    ACCEPTANCE. 

to  him,  till  be  is  grieved  for  his  transgressions,  or  has  avowed  his 
full  approbation  of  the  law  he  has  broken.  Then  he  can  be  saved, 
and  the  law  of  God  be  sustained. 

Now  the  whole  of  repentance  maybe  summed  up,  as  I  suppose, 
in  this  retrospect  of  a  humbled  sinner,  upon  his  guilty  and  inexcus- 
able violations  of  a  good  law;  including,  however,  his  abandon- 
tnent  of  the  transgressions  which  he  disapproves.  Thus  is  per- 
formed one  of  the  conditions,  on  which  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
will  receive  us  to  his  favor,  and  wash  away  our  sins  in  his  blood. 

2.  Tke  sinner  must  become  voilling  to  owe  his  escape  from  the 
curse  of  the  law  to  Jesus  Christ.  One  may  know  that  he  has 
broken  the  law  of  God,  and  that  the  law  he  has  broken  is  a  good 
law,  and  still  be  too  proud  to  receive  pardon  on  the  terms  of  the 
gospel.  We  have  known  cases  when  men  have  starved  and  per- 
ished rather  than  receive  alms.  The  pride  of  their  hearts  would 
not  suffer  them  to  eat  the  bread  they  had  not  purchased.  And 
men  have  gone  down  to  hell,  because  they  would  not  cast  them- 
selves upon  that  Savior,  whose  help  was  seen  to  be  necessary,  in 
order  to  their  escape  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Not  merely  must 
the  sinner  see  that  he  is  perishing,  and  th^it  there  is  no  help  out  of 
Christ,  but  he  must  become  pleased  with  Christ,  else  he  will 
not  feel  himself  secure  in  his  hands,  nor  apply  to  him  for  life. 

It  is  believed  that  many  a  soul  has  perished,  hesitating  whether 
it  would  be  prudent  or  safe  to  cast  himself  upon  the  Savior.  To 
do  this  is  faith,  and  implies  that  already  the  temper  of  the  heart  is 
changed  :  but  all  men  have  not  faith.  It  is  by  no  means  certain  that 
awakened  sinners  have  faith.  Some  may  have;  for  none  can  say 
how  early  in  the  process  of  alarm  God  may  renew  the  heart.  But 
of  this  we  are  sure,  that  when  renewed,  it  is  prepared  to  believe, 
soon  after  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ  is  presented. 

Sinners  often  wonder,  and  sometimes  quarrel,  that  on  making 
tlie  inquiry  of  the  text,  the  answer  we  give  them  implies  a  new- 
heart  ;  whereas  the  inquiry  they  intended  to  make  was,  how 
ti.oy  should  obtain  a  new  heart.  They  wish  to  know  how 
they  must  operate,  with  their  evil  hearts  of  unbelief,  so  as  to 
have  them  renewed.  Now  to  this  question  we  can  give  no 
answer.  We  know  of  no  process  by  which  an  ungodly  man 
may  work  himself  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  by  believing 
on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  We  can  tell  them  to  do  nothing,  that 
does  not  imply  holiness  ;  and  if  we  should,  they  might  do  as  we 
direct  them,  and  still  be  lost  ;  whereas  they  ask  us,  what  they  must 
do  to  be  saved.     If  to  this  question  they  wish  an  honest  answer  that 


TERMS    OF    DIVINE    ACCEPTANCE.  229 

will  do  them  any  good,  we  mast  assure  them,  that  having  been 
brought  to  approve  of  the  law  they  have  broken,  they  must  also 
approve  of  the  remedy  provided,  must  commit  their  souls  to  Je- 
sus Christ.     These  conditions  can  never  be  altered. 

3.  When  faith  has  accepted  the  atonement,  and  sin  is  forgiven, 
there  must  be  a  life  of  obedience,  as  that  which  can  alone  express 
the  soul's  continued  approbation  of  the  law  that  has  been  violated, 
and  the  remedy  that  has  been  provided.  Repentance  for  sin,  and 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  are  not  exercises  belonging  merely  to  the 
first  stages  of  piety,  and  to  be  then  done  with  for  ever.  The  man 
who  is  born  of  God  continues  to  hate  sin,  and  trust  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  till  he  dies.  He  does  not  give  the  law  one  approv- 
ing look,  and  the  Savior  one  welcome  to  his  heart,  and  then  re- 
lapse into  his  former  impenitence  and  unbelief.  He  renews  his 
repentance  day  by  day,  and  as  often  makes  fresh  application  to  the 
blood  of  sprinkling,  for  pardon  and  acceptance.  His  whole  life, 
if  he  honor  the  religion  he  professes  to  embrace,  is  filled  up  with 
obedience  to  the  law,  with  sorrow  and  tears  for  having  broken  it, 
and  with  the  testimonials  of  a  cordial  approbation  of  the  atone- 
ment made  upon  the  cross. 

We  know  nothing  of  that  religion,  which,  after  taking  root  in 
the  heart,  can  lie  dormant  for  years,  and  produce  no  transforming 
influence  upon  the  man,  conforming  him  to  the  truth,  or  mouldintr 
him  into  the  image  of  Jesus  Christ,  God  will  not  forgive  sin,  and 
take  away  the  curse,  and  enter  into  an  everlasting  covenant  with 
the  transgressor  ;  and  then  permit  him  to  go  into  exile  from  his 
presence,  and  be  again  an  alien  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel, 
and  a  stranger  from  the  covenants  of  promise  ;  and  live  without 
hope  and  without  God  in  the  world. 

He  calls  in  his  elect,  only  in  time,  however  early,  to  fit  them  for 
his  presence  in  glory.  And  the  work  of  grace  goes  on  from  that 
time  till  death.  They  aim  at  a  perfect  obedience  to  the  Divine 
law,  and  go  from  strength  to  strength,  till  every  one  of  them  ap- 
peareth  in  Zion  before  God.  They  forget  the  things  that  are  be- 
hind, and  reach  forth  to  those  things  which  are  before,  and  press 
toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  (Jhrist 
Jesus,  Hence  there  cannot  be  any  very  long  suspension  of  those 
exercises,  which  are  essential  at  the  beginning  of  a  course  of 
piety.  The  heart  continues  to  be  penitent,  and  believing,  and  obe- 
di'?nt,  till  all  sin  is  removed,  and  grace  is  perfected  in  glory.  I 
close  with 


230  TERMS    OF    DIVINE    ACCEPTANCE. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Let  us  compare  all  this  with  what  is  sometimes  termed  the 
gospel.  How  wrong  and  how  ruinous  is  the  advice,  that  not  unfre- 
quently  is  given  to  the  unregenerate. 

We  have  known  when  pains  was  taken  to  prevent  men  from  be- 
coming alarmed,  so  as  to  put  the  question  of  the  text  with  ear- 
nestness. They  must  not  hear  that  the  heart  is  desperately  wick- 
ed, lest  they  should  fear  that  in  all  their  deeds  they  had  broken  the 
law  of  God.  They  must  have  no  suspicion  that  their  prayers  are 
deficient,  lest  they  should  see  their  need  of  a  Savior.  They  must 
be  told  nothing  of  hell,  lest  they  should  be  afraid  of  its  torments  ; 
nor  hear  of  election,  lest  they  learn  that  men  will  not  accept  of 
mercy,  till  they  are  made  willing  in  the  day  of  God's  power. 

And  thus  every  doctrine,  calculated  to  pour  honor  upon  the  Di- 
vine law,  and  reflect  correspondent  shame  and  reproach  upon  the 
transgressor,  must  be  disproved,  or  concealed,  or  neutralized  ; 
and  that  perhaps  by  the  very  men  who  have  been  sent  as  the  her- 
alds of  salvation  to  a  lost  world.  We  have  seen  them  afraid,  lest 
without  design  they  should  effect  some  alarm  among  the  foes  of 
God.  Hence  the  monstrous  abuse  of  that  text,  when  any  hard 
truth  had  leaked  out ;  "  But,  beloved,  we  are  persuaded  better 
things  of  you,  and  things  that  accompany  salvation,  though  we 
thus  speak."  Ten  thousand  consciences,  that  had  been  pierced 
with  truth,  have  thus  been  healed  slightly,  by  a  text  which  God 
inspired  for  far  other  purposes.  But  when  no  soothing  opiate 
would  answer,  and  the  sinner  could  not  be  prevented  from  alarm, 
we  have  known  advice  to  be  given  that  was  the  most  ruinous  pos- 
sible. 

We  have  known  when  awakened  sinners  have  had  suggested  to 
them  a  train  of  thought  calculated  to  chase  away  all  alarm,  by 
lessening  their  respect  for  the  violated  law.  It  is  pleaded  that 
they  have  misapprehended  their  guilt  ;  that  the  law  is  not  so  severe 
as  they  imagine,  and  moreover,  that  the  mercy  of  God  will  not 
allow  him  to  punish  sinners  for  ever.  What  parent,  say  these 
tender-hearted  instructors,  would  cast  his  child  into  a  quenchless 
firel  Will  God  punish  eternally  the  errors  of  a  few  years  1  God 
will  be  moved  by  their  tears,  and  will  pardon  them,  if  indeed  their 
grief  has  not  already  done  away  their  guilt.  Thus  their  anguish 
of  heart  is  all  soothed,  while  yet  there  is  no  repentance. 

We  have  known  when  the  awakened  were  told,  that  they  were 
in  a  fair  way  to  obtain  religion,  that  they  must  persevere,  and  hold 
out,  and  they  would   do  well.     But  unhappily  their  way  was  the 


TERMS    OF    DIVINE    ACCEPTANCE.  231 

way  to  death,  and  they  did  persevere,  perhaps,  and  their  alarms 
were  soon  gone,  and  they  are  seen  in  the  broad  way,  or  are  gone 
to  know  the  full  weight  of  that  curse  of  the  law  which  once  hung 
over  them.  Had  they  been  told  that  there  was  nothing  holy  in 
their  terrors,  and  that  they  were  still  insecure,  till  they  applied  by 
faith  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  they  might  have  obtained  eternal 
life.  They  should  have  known,  that  they  had  not  overrated  their 
danger,  nor  half  estimated  their  guilt ;  that  God  was  angry,  as 
they  supposed,  that  there  was  a  perdition,  as  deep,  and  dark,  and 
hopeless  as  they  feared.  Then  there  might  have  been  a  prospect 
that  they  would  flee  for  refuge,  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before 
them  in  the  gospel. 

The  case  is  said  to  have  happened  when  they  have  been  directed 
to  a  novel,  or  a  party,  to  chase  away  their  glooms.  A  journey  in 
the  country,  or  a  visit  to  their  friends,  the  song  and  the  dance, 
have  been  considered  a  better  specific  for  their  pains,  than  the 
atoning  Lamb  of  God.  Let  it  be,  that  these  are  extreme  cases, 
still  means  like  these  have  often  been  resorted  to,  in  order  to  do 
away  alarm,  and  soothe  the  waking  conscience.  But  it  will  wake 
again  in  the  day  of  death,  and  gnaw  with  a  still  keener  appetite 
from  the  day  of  judgment  onward. 

Finally,  any  instruction  given  awakened  sinners,  that  they  may 
comply  with  and  still  perish,  is  cruel  and  treacherous.  Say  to 
them  as  Paul  did,  and  you  are  safe,  and  they  too,  if  they  follow 
your  advice.  And  they  will  be  as  likely  to  do  their  whole  duty, 
as  any  part  of  it.  Christ  will  bless  only  that  instruction,  which 
comes  up  to  the  standard  he  has  given  us.  0,  let  not  the  lips, 
that  should  pour  out  only  truth,  that  should  help  the  sinner  to  a 
full  acquaintance  with  his  sins,  and  press  his  conscience,  till  he 
shall  feel  that  he  cannot  do  an  hour  without  Christ,  be  employed 
to  stop  the  progress  of*conviction,  and  through  a  mistaken  tender- 
ness, bind  up  the  rankling  wound,  ere  the  probe  has  reached  its 
centre,  or  it  has  disgorged  its  putrescence.  When  the  sinner, 
under  the  management  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  in  a  fair  way  to  be- 
come thoroughly  convinced  of  his  misery  and  his  ruin,  let  not  the 
work  be  arrested  in  its  progress,  and  the  ear  be  assailed  with  the 
sound  of  peace,  till  heaven  is  once  made  sure. 

The  prodigal  is  alarmed  for  his  life,  and  grieved  almost  to  dis- 
traction for  his  baseness  of  conduct,  and  has  his  face  turned  home- 
ward, but  a  being  meets  him,  pretending  to  be  his  father's  friend, 
and  sent  to  guide  him  in  the  way  to  his  house,  and  bears  him  into 


232  TERMS    OF    DIVINE    ACCEPTANCE. 

a  hopeless  and  returnless  exile  !  He  casts  a  veil  over  the  filth  and 
rags  of  the  vagabond,  tells  him  of  his  native  virtues,  admonishes 
him  to  make  one  more  effort  to  live  without  his  father,  and  the 
wretch  believes,  and  turns  his  face  from  home,  and  perishes  in  his 
profligacy.  So  many  a  sinner,  just  at  the  moment  when  he  began 
to  think  on  his  ways,  u'hen  his  sins  were  staring  him  in  the  face, 
when  there  was  seen  distinctly  the  countenance  of  an  offended 
God,  and  when  there  began  to  be  some  thought  of  repairing  to  a 
Savior,  has  been  misdirected  and  destroyed. 

Instead  of  saying,  as  St.  Paul  did,  "Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved,"  we  set  about  making  him  happy 
in  some  other  way.  He  must  mend  his  life,  and  send  up  some 
prayer,  and  wait  at  the  pool,  and  hold  on  his  way: — Yes,  all  this 
would  be  well,  were  he  now  a  believer.  But  the  misery  of  the 
case  is,  he  is  yet  unsanctified,  his  heart  is  set  in  him  to  do  evil, 
and  the  controversy  between  him  and  God  is  yet  at  its  height. 
He  must  stop  and  turn  back,  or  lose  heaven.  He  yet  knows  not 
enough  about  his  sins  to  render  a  Savior  welcome.  He  still  dares 
to  stand  on  the  margin  of  perdition,  and  has  a  disgu&t  for  holiness 
and  heaven  so  implacable,  that  he  will  risk  all  the  danger  he  is  in 
a  little  longer,  rather  than  give  his  heart  to  Jesus  Christ. 

Tell  him  now  of  waiting  God's  time,  and  attending  on  the  means  ; 
when  God's  time  has  gone  by  these  thirty,  forty,  sixty  years,  and 
means  have  had  no  effect  all  that  time !  Ah,  I  am  afraid  you  will 
amuse  him  till  his  day  of  mercy  has  gone  by,  and  he  perishes  in 
his  bondage.  The  manslayer  is  fleeing  from  the  avenger  of  blood, 
the  road  before  him  parts,  a  post  is  erected,  and  a  board  on  it,  on 
which  is  written,  in  large  capitals, 

REFUGE  0:7= 

while  the  finger  of  a  man's  hand  points  to  his  course.  He  can 
only  read  a  single  word,  and  must  run  while  he  reads.  If  he  stops 
to  breathe  lie  perishes. 

Now  such  is  the  office  of  the  gospel  ministry,  when  it  comes  in 
coiitact  with  a  sinner  anxious  to'flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  It 
can  lose  no  time  in  directing  him  to  the  Lamb  that  was  slain. 
It  must  urge  him  to  a  place  of  safety,  and  when  the  danger  is 
over,  then  tell  him  of  means,  and  urge  him  to  prayer,  and  press  a 
reform,  and  build  him  up  for  heaven.     I  proceed  to  a 

2.  Remark.  We  may  gal  her  from  this  subject  a  reason,  why  revi- 
vals of  religion  in  some  instances,  add  so  little  to  the  strength  of  the 


TERMS    OF    DIVINE    ACCEPTANCE.  233 

Churches.  The  lax  instruction  sometimes  given  to  awakened  sin- 
ners at  such  a  time,  even  by  well  meaning  men,  who  aim  to  be 
faithful,  tends  to  nourish  a  growth  of  piety,  that  is  sickly  and  ef- 
feminate, and  will  finally  add  but  little  to  the  vigor  and  beauty  of 
Zion.  I  know  that  if  souls  are  converted  they  will  get  to  heaven, 
and  blessed  be  God,  if  he  will  convert  them,  but  their  usefulness 
in  this  life,  much  depends  on  their  early  instruction. 

Let  the  doctrines  be  kept  hid  from  those  who  are  coming  into 
the  kingdom,  and  let  there  be  detailed  only  that  soothing,  indis- 
tinct, and  sickly  instruction,  which  has  been  noticed,  and  the  con- 
verts, when  made,  will  go  halting  along  to  heaven,  and  the  Church 
and  its  ministry  have  very  little  comfort  in  them,  or  help  from 
them. 

They  will  scarcely  know  what  converted  them,  whether  truth 
or  error.  It  was  truth,  I  know,  for  God  sanctifies  through  the 
truth  ;  but  there  was  so  much  error  mingled  with  it  as  to  render  it, 
in  their  own  view,  doubtful  which  produced  the  effect.  And  having 
associated  the  kindness  of  their  youth,  the  love  of  their  espousals, 
with  so  much  indistinctness  of  doctrine,  they  will  be  likely  ever 
after,  to  court  this  same  darkened  exhibition  of  the  gospel,  and 
finally  die,  before  they  shall  have  learned  what  truth  is.  And  while 
they  live,  they  will  be  liable  to  be  driven  about  with  every  wind 
of  doctrine,  and  vex  the  Church,  and  embarrass  the  ministry,  and 
pass  perhaps  from  one  denomination  to  another,  and  finally  be 
saved  though  as  by  fire. 

They  will  be  doubtful  who  converted  them.  They  were  told 
when  under  alarm,  to  do  many  things  toward  their  own  conversion, 
and  they  did  them,  and  they  were  finally  converted  j  but  whether 
they  did  it  themselves,  or  whether  God  did  it,  they  find  it  hard  to 
tell.  And  they  will  give  others  the  same  darkened  counsel  that 
was  given  them.  Thus  God  is  robbed  of  the  glory  due  to  his 
name,  and  the  Churches  filled  up  with  members,  who  will  hang  a 
dead  weight  upon  every  revival  that  shall  happen  in  the  Church, 
till  they  are  taken  up  to  heaven,  and  taught  there  what  they  should 
have  learned  that  same  week  in  which  they  were  born  of  God. 

And  they  may  never  find  out  in  this  world,  what  they  were  con- 
verted for.  Men  will  be  active  in  duty,  only  as  they  are  rooted 
and  grounded  in  the  truth.  In  all  men,  truth,  or  what  they  think 
is  truth,  is  the  spring  of  action.  Hence  some  whole  Churches,  in 
this  day  of  Christian  enterprise,  can  be  brought  to  do  nothing  ; 
and  the  reason  is,  becaiise  they  know  nothing  distinctly.     If  you 

VOL.  II  30 


S34  TEEMS    OF    DIVINE    ACCEPTANCE. 

could  enlighten  them,  they  would  act,  but  they  will  not  be  en- 
lightened. The  secret  is,  they  were  born  in  a  dark,  misty,  and 
debilitating  atmosphere,  and  they  choose  to  live  and  die  in  the 
same.  Let  some  good  man  who  knows  and  loves  the  truth,  go 
into  one  corner  of  such  a  society,  and  there  be  active  and  faithful 
a  few  years,  till  the  Christians  know  what  they  were  born  again 
for,  and  that  corner  of  the  Church  shall  be,  from  that  time,  worth 
all  the  rest,  in  any  labors  to  which  God  shall  call  his  people. 

I  know  not  but  that  we  have  here  one,  and  that  not  a  very  inef- 
ficient cause,  why  so  many  ministers  have  been  quarrelled  away 
from  their  people,  immediately  after  some  great  revival.  The 
faithful  and  laborious  servant  of  God  had  gathered  into  the  Church 
a  multitute  of  converts,  and  expected  much  from  them,  but  had 
not  prepared  them  to  be  useful ;  and  when  at  length  he  urged 
them  to  bring  forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance,  they  contended 
with  him.  If  any  should  consider  this  a  bold  suggestion  then  1 
hope  they  will  make  a  happier  one,  and  take  away  this  reproach 
from  the  Churches.  I  cannot  believe,  that  a  revival  of  religion, 
effected  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  under  a  distinguishing  gospel,  will 
tend  to  unsettle  its  ministry.  But  I  can  easily  believe,  that  one 
who  knows  and  loves  the  truth,  may  hold  it  back  in  a  time  of 
awakening,  to  the  incalculable  injury  of  those  who  are  born  again, 
and  at  the  risk  of  his  own  sudden  removal  from  his  flock.  He  is 
afraid  to  give  them  strong  meat,  and  feeds  them  with  what  he 
terms  milk,  but  which  proves  to  be  poison,  and  they  wither  under 
it,  and  he  is  punished  for  administering  it.  Thus  is  fulfilled  that 
inspired  adage,  "He  that  will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it;  but  he 
that  will  lose  his  life,  for  my  sake,  and  the  gospel,  the  same  shall 
save  it." 

Finally,  let  me  say  to  lost  men,  haste  your  escape  to  Jesus 
Christ.  You  stand  in  imminent  danger  of  perdition  every  moment. 
Your  ruin  is  nearer,  and  your  guilt,  far  greater,  than  you  ever 
conceived.  That  sinner  that  has  been  the  most  afraid,  has  never 
been  half  enough  afraid,  of  the  wrath  of  God.  It  burns  to  the 
lowest  hell,  and  when  you  fall  beneath  it,  your  courage  will  all  be 
gone  in  a  moment.  "Can  thine  heart  endure,  or  can  thine  hand 
be  strong,  in  the  days  that  I  shall  deal  with  thee  1" 

You  see  what  the  terms  are,  and  God  will  never  alter  them,  on 
which  you  can  be  accepted  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  They  are 
the  best,  and  the  only  terms  that  could  be  offered.  They  secure 
the  honor  of  the  Divine  law,  the  glory  of  Christ,  and  the  eternal 


TERMS    OF    DIVINE    ACCEPTANCE.  235 

life  of  the  sinner.     They  are  humbling  terms,  and  to  reach  the 
case  they  must  be. 

Now  will  you  stand  quarrelling  with  the  truth  till  you  perish  1 
Is  this  the  right  course  for  a  sinner  1  You  thus  harden  your 
heart,  and  sear  your  conscience,  and  provoke  your  doom.  "  Now 
is  the  accepted  time,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation."  May  God 
bless  his  own  truth,  and  make  it  a  fire  and  hammer  to  break  in 
pieces  the  flinty  rock.     Amen. 


SERMON  LXI. 

SALVATION  MADE  SURE. 

JOHN    VII.    37. 

All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me  ;  and  him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  w  ise 
cast  out. 

Perhaps  of  all  the  excuses  that  men  have  offered,  as  designed 
to  account  for  their  impenitence,  none  has  in  it  more  infidelity  or 
more  impudence,  than  that  which  fastens  their  ruin  upon  the  pur- 
poses of  God.  If  he  has  any  decree  respecting  their  future  state, 
no  matter  whether  he  has  resolved  they  shall  die  or  live,  no  mat- 
ter whether  his  decree  deprives  them  of  agency  or  not— if  there 
is  any  such  decree  they  resolve  to  leave  the  whole  matter  with  him, 
and  to  give  the  concerns  of  the  soul  no  attention.  Hence  many 
who  have  believed  the  doctrine  have  still  felt  that  it  should  be  sel- 
dom or  never  exhibited  before  ungodly  men  lest  it  should  keep 
them  away  from  Christ. 

Against  a  sentiment  like  this  I  feel  it  my  duty  for  one  to  enter 
my  strong  and  decided   protest.     And   for  the  following  reasons  : 

In  the^rs^  place  it  is  a  doctrine  as  plainly  revealed  in  the  Bible 
as  any  other,  and  the  Bible  is  a  revelation  of  the  mind  of  God  to 
sinners,  hence  God  must  have  known  that  the  doctrine  has  not  the 
tendency  that  men  have  attributed  to  it.  He  would  not  have  re- 
vealed a  doctrine,  whose  tendency  would  be  to  thwart  the  purposes 
of  his  mercy. 

In  the  second  place  I  believe  it  a  doctrine  calculated  above  most 
others  to  awaken  sinners.  It  exhibits  the  depravity  of  the  heart 
in  its  most  glaring  colors.  God  will  compel  some  to  come  in  be- 
cause all  are  unwilling,  and  because  that  but  for  this  interference 
of  his  mercy  all  must  be  lost. 

In  the  third  place  it  exalts  the  Lord.  Let  the  gospel  scheme  be 
such  as  men  would  have  it,  and  God  would  make  no  calculations 
respecting  the  magnitude  of  his  kingdom.  Christ  would  not  be 
able  to  know  whether  he  should  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and 
be  satisfied  or  not.  But  God  has  done  himself  honor  in  fixing  eter- 
nally the  boundaries  of  his  kingdom. 

Finally,  it  is  to  the   minister  of  Christ  and  the   people  of  God 


SALVATION   MADE    SURE.  237 

generally  their  only  source  of  hope  that  a  preached  gospel  will 
have  its  desired  effect.  No  one  would  be  willing  to  go  out  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  nnen  totally  depraved  unless  the  unalterable 
purpose  and  promise  of  God  secured  success. 

The  atonement  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  foundation 
of  hope  to  a  perishing  sinner.  Hence  the  Savior  represented  liim- 
self  as  the  bread  of  God  that  comethdown  from  heaven  and  giveth 
life  to  the  world.  And  he  added,  he  that  cometh  to  me  shall  nev- 
er hunger,  and  he  that  believeth  on  me  shall  never  thirst.  But 
said  he  to  those  about  him,  "  Ye  also  have  seen  me  and  believed 
not." 

But  our  Lord  assures  them  that  if  they  would  not  believe  on  him 
and  follow  him,  still  he  should  not  be  without  disciples.  There 
were  some  whose  faith  in  him,  and  whose  perseverance  to  eternal 
life  were  made  sure.  "  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come 
to  me :  and  him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 
Let  us  now  give  this  text  a  candid  and  prayerful  examination. 
We  may  sometimes  suppose  ourselves  interested  in  evading  the 
force  of  Scripture,  but  our  true  interest  demands  that  we  endeavor 
to  understand  it  as  G(^  intended  it  should  be  understood.  L  can- 
not wish,  nor  can  any  otlier  man  who  will  feel  and  act  rationally, 
that  this  text  or  any  otlier  should  be  made  to  speak  a  language 
which  the  Spirit  of  inspiration  did  not  intend  to  teach.  The  text 
naturally  divides  itself,  and  opens  to  the  mind  three  leading 
thoughts. 

I.  Some  of  our  race  God  the  Father  gives  to  God  the  Son 

II.  All  these  shall  infallibly  come  to  him. 

III.  None  that  come  to  him  shall  be  rejected,  or  cast  out. 

1.  Some  of  our  race  are  given  of  the  Father  to  the  Son.  It 
reatU,  you  will  remember,  "All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall 
com  to  me:  ani  he  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 

If  the  New  Testament  had  not  made  us  familiar  with  this  Ian 
guage,  it  would  seem  strange  that  one  person  in  the  Godhead 
should  present  to  another  that  to  which  the  other  had  an  equal 
right  with  himself.  lUit  in  the  economy  of  redemption  each  per- 
son acts  a  part  somewhat  distinct.  Christ  as  Mediator  acts  an 
inferior  part,  is  delegated  and  rewarded  by  the  Father.  What 
then  are  we  to  understand  by  the  Father  giving  some  of  our  race 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  There  is  a  passage  very  much  like  this 
in  the  10th  chapter  of  this  same  gospel.  "My  sheep  hear  my 
voice,  and   I  know  them,   and  they  follow  me  :  and  I  give  unto 


238  SALVATION    MADE    SURE. 

them  eternal  life ;  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any 
pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father,  which  gave  them  me,  is 
greater  than  all ;  and  none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's 
hand."  We  read  again  in  the  17th  chapter,  "  That  he  should 
give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him."  Again,  "  I 
have  manifested  thy  name  unto  the  men  which  thou  gavest  me, 
out  of  the  world :  thine  they  were  and  thou  gavest  them  me." 
Again,  "  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  them  which  thou  hast 
given  me."  Again,  "  Holy  Father,  keep  through  thine  own  name 
those  whom  thou  hast  given  me." 

I  think  these  quotations,  without  proceeding  farther,  show 
clearly  that  the  word  giveth,  in  the  text,  has  the  same  meaning  as 
given,  m  the  text  which  I  have  quoted.  The  meaning  then  is,  that 
in  some  wondrous  transaction  between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  a 
part  of  our  race  was  given  to  Christ,  to  be  in  some  peculiar  sense 
his  property.  Nor  do  I  see  how  any  honest  man,  who  is  willing 
to  let  the  Scripture  explain  itself,  can  come  to  any  other  conclu- 
sion. 

A  writer  of  the  Episcopal  communion,*  for  whom  I  love  to  ex- 
press my  high  respect,  gives  us  this  explanation  :  "  All  whom  the 
Father  had  given  to  him,  in  his  foreknowledge  and  choice  of  them, 
and  by  the  covenant  of  redemption  made  with  him  as  their  surety, 
would  come  to  him."  Another  for  whom  I  feel  a  similar  respect,f 
says  :  "  All  that  the  Father  has  graciously  chosen  to  himself,  and 
whom  he  giveth  to  me  in  consequence  of  a  peculiar  covenant,  to 
be  sanctified  and  saved  by  me,  will  certainly  at  length  come  unto 
me."  Permit  me  to  quote  another  no  less  respectable.J  He  says  : 
"  From  the  gratuitous  election  in  Christ  by  the  Father,  flows  the 
gift  of  faith,  which  eternal  life  necessarily  follows.  Therefore, 
faith  in  Christ  is  a  certain  testimony  of  our  election,  and  conse- 
quently of  our  future  glorification." 

Thus  are  we,  by  the  covenant  testimony  of  Scripture,  and  by 
the  advice  of  able  and  pious  commentators,  driven  to  the  conclu- 
sion, that  a  part  of  our  race  are  given  to  Christ  previously  to  their 
conversion,  and  are  his  in  a  sense  in  which  the  residue  are  not  his. 
And  if  one  other  text  may  add  its  testimony,  we  shall  learn  that 
they  were  chosen  in  Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
that  they  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him,  in  love. 

If  any  should  persist  in  denying  this  doctrine,  it  will  be  recol- 
lected that  the  texts  1  have  quoted,  are  but  a  few  of  the  many  that 
go  to  establish  the  same  point      And  I  know  not  what  explanation 

•  Scott.  t  Doddridge.  J  Beza. 


SALVATION    MADE    SURE.  239 

they  can  give  the  text.  Will  they  say  that  the  Father,  in  con- 
verting them,  gives  them  to  Christ  1  Then,  I  ask.  What  is  meant 
by  their  coming  to  him  after  all  this  1  May  a  man  be  born  again, 
and  be  received  into  the  family  of  God,  who  has  not  come  to 
Christ  \  Will  it  be  said  that  they  are  given  to  Christ,  not  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  but  immediately  before  their  con- 
version, then  I  ask.  Why  at  that  time  rather  than  years  sooner,  or 
an  eternity  sooner  \  Beside,  nothing  is  gained  by  this  mode  of  ex- 
position. All  the  objections  that  lie  against  an  eternal  choice,  and 
more  too,  lie  against  the  idea  of  their  being  chosen  one  hour  be- 
fore their  conversion.  The  fact  of  their  coming  to  Christ  de- 
pending on  their  being  given  to  him,  is  the  idea  so  much  hated 
and  so  much  controverted. 

And  it  cannot  be  said  that  all  are  given  to  Christ  in  the  sense 
of  the  text,  for  this  would  convert  the  Scriptures  into  nonsense, 
and  would  really  contradict  the  testimony  of  Christ :  for  all  do 
not  come  to  him,  but  all  that  are  given  to  him  shall  come  to  him. 
I  do  not  see  but  we  must  all  acknowledge,  whatever  be  our  pre- 
judices, tRat  there  is  a  sense  in  which  some  of  our  race,  to  the 
exclusion  of  others  are,  previously  to  their  conversion,  given  to 
Christ.  We  are  not  authorized  to  say  who  they  are,  nor  what  the 
number.  Till  by  their  conversion  and  subsequent  holiness  of  life, 
they  have  made  their  calling  and  election  sure,  there  is  no  one  can 
guess  with  regard  to  any  individual,  whether  he  is  or  is  not  one 
of  the  number  given  to  Christ.  The  plan  is  fixed  and  unaltera- 
ble, but  secret,  till  developed  in  the  conversion  of  souls. 

II.  All  who  are  thus  given  to  Christ  shall  come  to  him.  The 
context  decides  that  to  come  to  him  is  the  same  as  to  believe  on 
him.  "  He  that  cometh  to  me  shall  never  hunger ;  and  he  that 
believeth  on  me  shall  never  thirst."  The  fact,  then,  is  certain, 
that  all  who  are  given  to  Christ  will  believe  on  him.  And  if  none 
can  believe  on  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard,  and  if  none  can 
hear  without  a  preacher,  it  is  equally  certain  that  all  who  are 
given  to  Christ  will  be  furnished  with  a  preached  gospel,  and  will 
thus  be  brought  to  know  and  obey  the  truth.  God  has  made  his 
plan  perfect  ;  he  has  not  determined  the  end,  and  left  the  means 
unappointed.  He  has  chosen  men  to  salvation  throu^Ii  sanctifica- 
tion  of  ilie  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth. 

The  idea  is  certainly  interesting,  that  nothing  will  prevent  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  from  having  a  Church.  It  was  predicted  of  him, 
"He  shall  see  his  seed — and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall  prosper 


240 


SALVATION    MADE    SURE. 


in  his  hands."  To  secure  the  redemption  of  all  those  who  were 
given  to  Christ,  nothing  nnore  is  necessary  than  that  he  know  who 
they  are,  and  have  power  to  nnake  them  willing  to  be  his  disciples. 
And  he  assures  us,  "  I  know  my  sheep,  and  they  follow  me.' 
"  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power." 

It  is  wonderful  to  see  through  what  obstacles  the  blessed  Re- 
deemer has  pressed  his  way,  in  gathering  in  his  chosen  people 
They  have  been  scattered  through  all  the  periods  of  time,  and 
probably  more  or  less  through  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  In  the 
old  world,  at  the  time  of  the  deluge,  there  was  but  one  family  that 
belonged  to  Christ,  and  but  one  in  Sodom.  By  some  impulse,  felt, 
but  indescribable,  all  the  chosen  of  God  are  induced  to  come 
within  the  reach  of  truth,  and  thus  are  sanctified.  One  is  born 
in  the  bosom  of  Africa,  but  is  kidnapped  and  brought  to  a  Chris- 
tian land,  and  wanders  to  the  doors  of  the  sanctuary,  hears  the 
truth,  believes,  and  is  saved.  Another,  from  the  western  forest, 
comes,  he  knows  not  why,  to  a  land  enlightened  by  the  rays  of 
Sfospel  truth,  and  in  some  happy  hour  is  sanctified  through  its  in- 
fluence. Another,  as  if  God  was  resolved  that  his  Church  should 
be  composed  of  some  from  every  kingdom,  and  nation,  and  tongue, 
and  people,  is  born  on  some  distant  isle  of  the  Pacific,  is  bred  a 
pagan,  lives  a  liar  and  a  thief,  till  some  favored  vessel  transports 
him  to  this  Christian  land,  where  he  hears  the  gospel,  and  is  saved. 
Another  and  another,  by  a  combination  of  circumstances  that  none 
but  infinite  wisdom  could  plan,  and  omnipotence  execute,  are 
rescued  from  the  deserts  of  moral  desolation,  brought  to  the  light, 
and  made  willing  to  follow  the  Lamb. 

One  is  sanctified  in  his  mother's  arms,  another  arrested  amidst 
the  follies  of  youth,  and  another  snatched  from  the  verge  of  hell 
when  he  had  quarreled  with  God  a  whole  century.  One  is  sanc- 
tified on  a  throne,  and  another  carried  to  heaven  from  the  veriest 
re'reat  of  poverty  and  ignominy.  The  servant  and  his  master,  the 
princess  and  her  Imndmaid,  are  made  joint  partakers  of  the  same 
grace.  One  is  awakened  in  the  sanctuary,  another  in  the  ball 
chamber,  and  another  at  a  funeral.  The  truth  has  been  heard,  and 
some  event,  occasionally  the  most  unlikely,  brings  it  to  remem- 
brance, and  presses  it  upon  the  conscience.  The  unseen  agent  is 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  work  is  done,  perhaps,  before  any  human 
eye  takes  cognizance,  or  the  very  individual  himself  knows  the 
meaning  of  the  change  he  feels.  When  the  good  work  is  begun, 
it  goes  on  until  finished  in  heaven.  Thus  tlie  Lord  Jesus,  travel- 
ing in  the  greatness  of  his  strengtli,  has  been  employed  ever  since 


SALVATION    MADE    SURE.  241 

the  time  of  the  first  promise,  in  bringing  home  to  himself  those 
that  the  Father  giveth  him.  He  has  passed  down  through  the  vast 
tract  of  ages,  and  has  searched  the  recesses  of  every  kingdom,  to 
discover  and  bring  to  holiness,  happiness,  and  heaven,  his  elect. 
No  ages  of  darkness,  no  dungeon  of  despotism,  no  labyrinth  of 
error,  has  ever  hidden  from  his  eye  one  of  his  elect.  His  voice 
says  to  the  north,  "  Give  up  ;  and  to  the  south,  keep  not  back  ;  bring 
my  sons  from  afar,  and  my  daughters  from  the  ends  of  the  earth  ; 
even  every  one  that  is  called  by  my  name :  for  I  have  created  him 
for  my  glory,  I  have  formed  him,  yea,  I  have  made  him."  All  the 
future  periods  of  time,  and  the  various  districts  of  the  earth,  will 
continue  to  hold  their  respective  portions  of  the  elect  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Redeemer,  till  the  last  pilgrim  has  traversed  the  desert, 
and  all  the  mansions  in  glory  are  filled.  Then  will  appear,  to  the 
joy  of  his  people,  but  the  shame  and  confusion  of  al!  beside,  the 
truth  of  the  text,  "  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me." 

III.  "And  him  that  cometh  to  me  I  v»  ill  in  no  wise  cast  out." 
In  the  ojiginal  scriptures,  the  double  negative  used  in  this  clause 
of  the  text,  renders  the  assertion  the  strongest  possible.  The 
Lord  Jesus,  without  an  oath,  could  not  have  associated  more 
strongly  his  resolve  to  save  all  those  that  come  to  him.  The  as- 
sertion embraces  two  things — he  will  not  reject  them  when  they 
first  apply  to  him  for  mercy,  nor  will  he  afterward  spurn  them  from 
his  presence. 

1.  He  will  receive  them.  Beside  the  text  there  are  abundant 
assurances  to  this  point,  "  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and 
are  heiivy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  "  Ho,  every  one  that 
thirstelh,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money, 
come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price  ;"  and 
there  can  no  fact  be  stated,  that  contradicts  the  truth  of  these  as- 
surances of  heaven.  There  never  has  a  sinner  come,  and  been 
rejected.  In  no  age,  in  no  land,  under  no  circumstances,  did  the 
Lord  of  glory  ever  spurn  from  him  the  sinner  who  had  become 
humble,  and  was  fallen  at  his  feet,  to  implore  forgiveness.  "  And 
him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 

2.  Those  whom  he  once  receives,  he  never  abandons.  "  The 
mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be  removed  ;  but  my  kindness 
shall  not  depart  from  thee,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my  peace 
be  removed,  saith  the  Lord  that  hath  mercy  on  thee."  If  there 
was  not  another  promise,  this  one  would  effectually  secure  every 
sinner,  who  has  entered  into  a  covenant  of  peace  with   the   Re- 

VOL.  II.  31 


•242  SALVATION    MADE    SURE. 

deemer.  But  the  Bible  is  full  of  promises  to  tne  same  point. 
"  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me." 
But  there  arises  here  a  very  interesting  question.  Does  the 
last  clause  of  this  text  extend  beyond  the  first  1  Having  made  it 
sure  that  all  those  whom  the  Father  has  given  to  the  Son,  shall 
come  to  him,  is  there  left  any  hope  for  those  not  thus  given  1 
There  is  no  doubt  but  the  latter  clause,  which  has  no  reserve,  may 
be  understood  in  its  most  unlimited  sense.  When  the  Redeemer 
exclaims,  "  And  him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
out,"  it  cannot  be  questioned  but  that  if  any  should  come  who 
were  not  given  to  Christ  in  the  covenant  of  redemption,  still  they 
shall  be  accepted.  I  consider  the  text  as  making  it  certain  that 
the  elect  shall  believe,  and  as  opening  the  widest  possible  door  of 
hope  to  the  nonelect. 

They  would  hardly  desire  more  than  that  the  Savior  should  be 
willing  to  receive  them,  if  they  come  to  him.  They  cannot  wish 
him  to  receive  them  while  they  are  unwilling  to  come,  the  thing 
implies  an  impossibility.  The  gate  of  heaven  then  is  as  wide  as 
the  most  depraved  could  desire.  It  will  admit  them,  as  soon  as 
they  are  willing  to  enter,  and,  till  they  are  willing  to  ent'er,  they 
cannot  be  considered  as  wishing  to  be  admitted. 

But  if  the  question  be  asked.  Will  any  ever  be  willing  to  come 
to  Christ,  but  those  who  are  given  him  of  the  Father  1  the  answer 
is,  They  will  not.  But  the  fault  is  all  their  own.  The  fact  that 
God  will  make  some  willing,  determines  nothing  with  regard  to 
the  residue.  Mercy  is  as  free,  and  its  reception  as  practicable,  to 
the  non-elect,  as  if  none  were  elected.  If  heaven  and  glory  were 
barred  against  the  rest,  if  they  could  not  be  received  on  the  same 
terms,  if  greater  obstacles  impeded  their  conversion,  or  if  the 
atonement  was  not  sufficient  for  them,  as  well  as  others,  then  the 
case  would  be  hard.  But  if  God  does  for  his  people  what  he  is 
under  no  obligation  to  do,  if  he  produces  the  repentance  and  the 
faith  which  they  ought  to  exercise  without  his  agency,  and  removes 
the  obstacles  which  their  own  iniquities  interpose,  and  which  they 
are  under  obligation  to  remove  ;  then  there  can  be  nothing  hard 
or  unmerciful  in  his  dealings  with  them,  who  voluntarily  reject 
his  mercy,  and  are  lost. 

To  all  then,  elect  or  not,  we  are  certainly  authorized  to  say 
that  their  salvation  is  possible.  If  Christ  had  limited  the  last 
clause  of  the  text,  and  other  texts  like  it,  then  we  must  have  lim- 
ited the  invitations  of  the  gospel.  If  he  had  said  that  of  (hose 
whom  the  Father  givtth  me,  none  of  them  on  coming  to  me  shall  be 


SALVATION    MADE    SURE.  243 

cast  out,  then  we  could  not  have  opened  our  lips  to  the  non-elect. 
As  things  are,  they  may  come  and  claim  the  promise  of  the  text. 
"  No  degree  of  previous  guilt,  no  inveterate  habits  of  vice,  no  sla- 
very to  Satan,  no  secret  decree  of  God,  no  involuntary  mistake, 
would  induce  him  to  reject  a  single  person."  The  invitation  im- 
plied in  the  last  clause  of  the  text,  is  one  of  the  broadest  possible. 
The  old,  the  hardened,  the  obstinate,  the  most  hopeless  sinner,  is 
as  sure  to  be  accepted  as  any  other,  if  he  do  but  come  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

An  able  writer  on  this  passage  observes,  "  These  two  views  of 
the  Divine  will,  his  secret  will  concerning  those  whom  he  has /cho- 
sen to  salvation,  and  his  revealed  will  concerning  the  actual  salva- 
tion of  every  believer,  are  perfectly  coincident;  for  no  one  will 
come  till  Divine  grace  has  subdued,  and — in  part — changed  his 
heart,  and  therefore  no  one  who  comes  will  ever  be  cast  out." 

If  a  doubt  should  remain  let  the  trial  be  made.  If  a  neighbor  of 
yours  had  prepared  a  feast,  and  had  sent  out  a  general  invitation  to 
all  about  him  to  come  and  partake,  and  yet  by  some  means  or  oth- 
er you  had  imbibed  the  doubt  whether  there  would  be  any  seat  at 
his  table  for  you,  it  would  be  easy  to  go  and  test  the  sincerity  of 
his  invitations.  Appear  at  the  feast  with  your  neighbors,  take 
yonr  seat  with  them,  and  act  as  if  you  too  was  welcome,  and  then 
if  the  host  expel  you  the  truth  of  his  hypocrisy  will  be  establish- 
ed. Let  the  unbeliever  go  and  do  likewise.  Let  him  repent  and 
believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  if  rejected  then  the  case  is 
settled.  Till  then,  in  the  face  of  so  many,  so  broad,  and  unquali- 
fied invitations  it  is  impious  to  doubt.  If  with  the  slothful  ser- 
vant you  suspect  that  God  is  a  hard  master,  do  your  duty  and  then 
know.  Use  the  talents  entrusted  to  you  as  he  directs,  and  wait 
till  the  time  of  his  coming.  Then  if  you  find  no  room  for  you  in 
th-e  kingdom  of  heaven,  the  Bible  will  prove  a  lie,  and  you  will 
carry  with  you  to  perdition  the  consoling  reflection  that  you  are 
imprisoned  and  punished  through  breach  of  faith :  and  a  cordial 
like  this  would  cool  the  fires  of  the  pit. 

REFLECTIONS. 

1.  The  subject  may  well  impress  us  with  respect  for  the  char- 
acter and  ways  of  God.  How  sovereign,  and  how  mysterious  are 
the  operations  of  his  grace.  One  man  he  has  given  to  Christ, 
while  his  brother,  a  man  no  more  depraved,  is  passed  by. 

2.  The  subject  should  inspire  the  believer  with  gratitude. 
What  mercy  can  be  so  great  as  to  be  given  to  Christ  1     And  there 


244.  SALVATION    MADE    SURE. 

was  in  us  no  o-oodtiess  to  mark  us  out  as  the  vessels  of  mercy. 
And  shall  not  God  now  receive  all  our  services  1  Shall  we  not 
devote  to  him  all  we  have  and  all  we  are  1  Shall  we  not  cast  our 
influence,  our  wealth  and  all  that  we  have  into  the  scale  with 
him  1  Shall  we  not  come  forward  to  labor  and  suffer,  and  if  it  be 
necessary  to  die  in  the  service  of  him  who  died  for  us  that  he 
micrht  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity  and  purify  us  unto  himself  a  pe- 
culiar people  zealous  of  good  works  1  Can  we  otherwise  than  by 
a  complete  surrender  testify  an  adequate  gratitude  and  affection 
for  our  election  and  adoption] 

3.  The  subject  reads  an  awful  alarm  to  all  the  impenitent.  As 
yet  they  exhibit  no  promise  of  their  election  in  Christ.  And  the 
same  Egyptian  cloud  will  hang  over  their  future  pro  pects  till  their 
character  is  changed.  When  they  are  seen  at  the  foot  of  the  cross, 
then  will  dawn  upon  them  the  first  hope  that  their  names  were  writ- 
ten in  the  book  of  life  of  the  lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world.  Till  they  have  believed  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  they  have 
reason  to  fear,  for  they  have  no  evidence  of  the  contrary,  that  they 
are  not  of  the  number  given  to  Christ  in  the  covenant  of  redemp- 
tion.- If  they  are  going  into  old  age  in  unbelief,  their  apprehension 
on  this  subject  ought  to  strengthen  with  every  year  and  day  and 
hour  of  their  impiety.  I  have  not  the  smallest  fear  that  the 
condition  of  a  stupid  sinner  would  be  made  worse,  by  having 
strontT  apprehensions  that  he  was  not  of  the  number  who  were 
eternally  given  to  Christ.  The  contrary  impression  would  doubt- 
less be  calculated  to  keep  him  stupid.  Let  him  finally  believe 
that  he  shall  live,  that  heaven  is  made  sure  to  him  by  the  eternal 
purpose  of  God,  and  that  without  the  possibility  of  failure  he  shall  at 
last  be  made  a  subject  of  grace,  and  we  cannot  conceive  of  an  im- 
pre  sion  more  calculated  to  suppress  all  alarm.  His  cry  will  then  be 
a  little  more  sleep,  a  little  more  slumber,  a  little  more  folding  of 
the  hands  to  sleep  :  so  shall  his  poverty  come  as  one  that  travail- 
eth,.  and  their  want  as  an  armed  man.  On  the  other  hand,  let  them 
fear  that  they  shall  be  lost,  let  them  have  strong  apprehensions  of 
the  wrath  to  come,  and  those  very  alarms  may  bring  them  to  think 
of  their  ways,  and  turn  their  feet  to  God's  testimonies.  Let  them 
fear,  that  God  has  not  chosen  them  to  salvation  through  sanctifi- 
cation  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth,  and  these  very  fears 
may  lead  them  to  attend  to  the  truth,  and  bring  them  within  the 
reach  of  that  Divine  influence  which  was  sent  to  convince  the 
world  of  sin,  of  righteousness  and  of  judgment. 


SERMON    LXII. 
THE  DESIRES  OF  THE  WICKED  INADMISSIBLE. 

PSALM  CXL.   8. 
Grant  not,  O  Liird,  thi;  (Jf:5iies  of  the  wicked. 

In  our  unhappy  world  there  are  two  grand  interests.  God  has 
a  kingdom,  and  intends  to  exert  his  power  to  make  it  prosper. 
Leagued  with  him  are  all  holy  beings.  They  are  workers  togeth- 
er with  God.  In  this  kingdom  he  governs  with  unlimited  sway. 
All  his  dispensations  are  calculated  to  make  his  friends  happy. 
Within  this  kingdom  there  is  set  up  a  distinct  and  opposite  inter- 
est. It  is  managed  by  wicked  men  and  devils.  In  their  sad  enter- 
prise they  spare  no  exertions.  Many  who  belong  to  this  kingdom 
seem  not  to  know  their  own  characters.  They  would  fain  believe 
themselves  the  children  of  God,  and  engaged  in  promoting  the 
welfare  of  his  kingdom.  The  subjects  of  each  of  these  kingdoms 
may  be  considered  as  praying  for  their  own  prosperity.  Of  course 
their  prayers  must  clash.  If  one  kingdom  flourish  the  other  suf- 
fers. Hence  the  subjects  of  the  one  must  pray  that  the  prayers 
of  their  opponents  may  not  be  granted.  In  this  surprising  con- 
test, one  thing  must  not  be  forgotten — there  are  no  intelligent  be- 
ings that  stand  neuter.  It  is  a  universal  doctrine,  "  He  that  is  not 
for  me  is  against  me."  Those  who  are  engaged  with  God  in  pro- 
moting the  good  of  his  kingdom,  are  denominated  righteous  ;  all 
others  are  called  wicked.  David,  in  the  text,  entreats  the  Lord 
to  favor  his  own  cause,  and  reject  the  prayer  of  those  who  have 
set  themselves  against  him.  "  Grant  not,  0  Lord,  the  desires  of 
the  wicked." 

In  pursuing  the  subject,  I  shall  bring  into  view  some  of  the  de- 
sires of  the  wicked,  and  show  as  I  pass  on,  that  it  must  be  the 
wish  and  the  prayer  of  the  pious  that  their  desires  should  not  be 
granted.  And  while  we  pursue  the  subject,  may  ihe  eternal  God 
grant  us  his  gracious  presence  and  smiles. 

1.  One  desire  of  the  wicked  is.  That  there  is  no  God.  This  we 
learn  from  the  Scriptures,  and  may  easily  learn  the  same  from  ob- 
servation.    "  Wherefore  dost  the  wicked   contemn  God  \  he  hath 


243  THE    DESIRES    OF    THli    WICKED    INADMISSIBLE. 

said  ia  his  heart,  Thou  wilt  not  require  it."  "  The  fool  hath  said 
in  his  heart,  There  is  no  God."  The  genuine  meaning  of  this 
text  is.  That  the  fool,  which  is  the  Old  Testament  term  for  sin- 
ner, wishes  in  his  heart  that  there  were  no  God.  The  pride  of 
their  hearts  renders  them  unwilling  that  any  being  should  be  above 
them.  "  Who  is  the  Lord  that  I  should  serve  him  1"  They  mani- 
fest their  wish  that  there  were  no  God,  by  leaving  him  out  of  mind, 
by  refusing  to  obey  him,  by  finding  fault  with  his  dealings,  and  by 
quarrelling  with  his  plans.  They  dare  not  submit  their  conduct  to 
Divine  inspiration,  and  would  be  glad  if  there  were  no  being  to  in- 
spect. We  learn  from  all  this  that  they  desire  earnestly  that  there 
were  no  God. 

But  against  this  desire  the  godly  oppose  their  prayers.  It  ever 
has  been  and  must  be  their  wish,  that  the  wicked  may  not  be  grati- 
fied in  their  desires.  And  there  are  good  reasons  why  they  thus 
feel.  If  there  were  no  God,  every  thing  must  immediately  be 
thrown  into  a  state  of  confusion.  Chaos  would  return  ;  universal 
disorder  would  prevail,  and  the  issue  would  be  that  every  thing 
would  immediately  verge  toward  destruction.  War,  and  in  its 
train,  death,  tears,  and  despair  would  fill  every  corner  of  creation. 

Indeed,  were  there  no  God,  no  being  would  wish  to  live.  Anar- 
chy, complete,  would  desolate  every  world  where  there  were  found 
intelligences.  The  very  men  who  had  desired  a  creation  without 
a  God,  would  immediately  recall  their  wish,  and  if  possible,  have 
again  an  omnipotent  Creator  on  the  throne  of  the  world. 

But  why  do  we  speak  of  a  nation  without  a  God  1  Let  God 
cease  to  be,  and  nothing  can  exist.  He  constantly  gives  to  all  be- 
ings life,  and  breath,  and  all  things.  He  is  the  great  fountain  of 
existence.  He  constantly  animates  anew  his  own  creation.  Well 
then  may  the  godly  pray,  that  the  desires  of  the  wicked  who  wish 
that  there  were  no  God,  may  not  be  granted.  They  consider  their 
being  a  blessing.  They  are  not  willing  to  see  creation  ruined. 
They  will  constantly  elect  anew,  as  their  supreme  Lord  and  mas- 
ter, the  Jehovah  of  the  universe.  They  are  pleased  with  his  gov- 
ernment, and  are  willing  to  leave  him  to  manage  their  concerns. 
They  wish  that  there  may  be  a  universal  empire,  and  in  all  their 
prayers  extol  him  who  rideth  upon  the  heavens  by  his  name,  Je- 
hovah, and  rejoice  before  him.  Thus  do  Christians  oppose  the 
prayers  of  the  wicked. 

2.  If  a  God  do  and  must  exist,  sinners  wish  him  to  be  a  mere 
spectator  of  the  affairs  of  the  world.  The  grand  objection  they 
have  to  his  existence  is,  that  if  he   exist  he  must  have  the  reins 


THE    DESIRES    OF    THE    WICKED    INADMISSIBLE.  24'7 

of  government.  If  he  will  allow  men  to  do  as  they  please,  and 
call  them  to  no  account,  they  can  then  be  willing  that  he  should 
live.  Like  idle  children  they  can  be  pleased  with  a  father  who 
will  not  concern  himself  in  their  affairs,  but  cannot  love  him  if  he 
restrain  them.  Our  tongues  are  our  own,  and  who  shall  be  Lord 
over  us  1  "  Who  is  the  Lord  that  we  should  obey  his  voice  1" 
Wicked  men  have  made  it  manifest  that  they  desire  God  to  be  a 
mere  spectator  in  his  own  world,  by  the  exertions  they  have  made 
to  have  this  doctrine  believed  and  received  among  men.  If  they 
have  allowed  that  he  governs  the  larger  afl'airs  of  his  kingdoms, 
they  have  still  refused  to  acknowledge  that  a  sparrow  cannot  fall 
to  the  ground  without  his  notice,  and  that  the  very  hairs  of  our 
head  are  all  numbered.  If  he  may  dethrone  a  king,  and  aid  in  the 
councils  of  state,  here  his  government  must  cease;  he  must  not 
regard  the  prayer  of  the  peasant,  nor  hear  the  cry  of  the  dying 
slave.  These  things  are  too  small  for  the  notice  of  the  infinite 
God.  Thus  have  men  taken  pains  to  save  God  from  the  care  of 
governing  the  world  ;  and  in  all  this  have  made  it  manifest  that 
they  earnestly  desire  God  not  to  concern  himself  in  the  affairs  of 
men.  But  their  request  cannot  be  granted.  It  is  the  earnest 
praj'er  of  all  the  saints  that  God  would  not  grant  them  the  thing 
they  wish.  They  not  only  desire  God  to  reign,  but  they  wish  him 
to  manage  all  the  affairs  of  creation.  They  cannot  be  willing  that 
a  breeze  blow  without  permission,  or  that  an  atom  fly  without 
direction. 

They  wish  God  to  be  thus  minute  in  his  government,  because 
they  consider  their  own  safety  and  the  safety  of  others  to  depend 
on  this  special  care  of  God.  If  a  mote  may  wander  undirected,  it 
may  put  a  period  to  their  lives  before  their  sanctification  be  com- 
plete. If  the  meanest  prayer  of  the  humble  may  not  be  heard,  all 
their  hopes  are  destroyed.  They  dare  not  live  in  a  world  where 
one  event  is  regulated  by  chance,  or  there  is  one  creature  without 
control.  Instead  of  wishing  to  save  God  the  care  of  managing  the 
lesser  affairs  of  creation,  they  delight  to  give  him  the  honor  of 
having  a  universal  kingdom.  They  think  it  an  honor  to  the  eter- 
nal Jehovah,  that  while  he  furnishes  the  sun  with  light  and  heat, 
and  martials  the  stars,  he  can,  without  burdening  his  infinite  mind, 
direct  the  course  of  every  floating  atom.  Thus  the  honor  of  God, 
as  well  as  the  safety  of  his  creatures,  invite  him  to  universal 
empire,  and  form  two  grand  motives  why  the  children  of  God  pray 
that  the  wicked  may  not  have  their  desires  granted.  They  de- 
light to  sing  with  David,  "  The  Lord  reigneth,  let  the  earth  rejoice." 


248  THE    DESIRES    OF    THE    WICKED    INADMISSIBLE. 

3.  If  God  must  exist,  and  must  be  an  active  agent  in  governing 
the  world,  the  wicked  are  desirous  that  he  should  work  without 
any  plan.  They  are  afraid  of  Divine  decrees.  They  fear  that  these 
decrees  do  not  favor  them.  They  know  that  infinite  purity  must 
hate  sin  and  sinners,  and  if  it  decree  any  thing  respecting  them, 
must  decree  their  ruin.  Knowing  this,  they  are  afraid  that  God 
should  have  any  plan  by  which  to  work  in  future.  In  this  case 
they  can  have  some  comfort.  They  intend  to  reform  their  lives, 
and  they  hope  that  God  will  then  show  them  favor,  unless  some 
dreadful  decree  prevent.  They  have  so  mean  an  opinion  of  God 
as  to  suppose  that  his  views  may  alter,  and  that  in  some  old  de- 
cree he  may  have  resolved  to  do  what  he  now  would  not  wish 
to  do. 

Be  the  cause  what  it  may,  we  learn,  from  every  day's  observa- 
tion, that  sinners  hate  to  hear  of  God's  decrees.  They  quarrel 
with  this  doctrine  as  soon  as  they  begin  to  think,  and  the  quarrel 
never  ceases  till  they  become  Christians,  or  imbibe  some  false  hope 
that  the  decrees  will  favor  them.  In  their  own  little  concerns  they 
have  their  plans,  and  bend  all  their  efforts  to  carry  them  into  effect ; 
but  they  are  unwilling  that  God   should  exhibit  the  same  wisdom. 

In  this  matter  the  prayer  of  the  godly  must  be  that  their  desires 
may  not  be  granted.  The  friends  of  God  wish  him  to  have  his 
plan.  They  suppose  infinite  goodness  can  act  with  more  energy 
if  it  set  up  an  object  and  then  pursue  that  object.  If  all  the  ope- 
rations of  Deity  may  be  without  design,  they  may  also  be  without 
effort.  No  benevolent  purpose  may  be  accomplished  ;  misery  and 
sin  may  counterbalance  happiness  and  goodness.  The  righteous 
found  all  their  hopes  of  salvation,  both  as  it  regards  themselves 
and  others,  on  the  purposes  of  God.  Remove  God's  electing  love, 
and  you  destroy  all  their  hopes.  This  being  the  fact,  they  must 
pray  that  God  would  have  his  plan,  and  would  pursue  it  in  his  eter- 
nal operations.  They  must,  of  course,  pray  that  God  would  not 
grant  the  desires  of  the  wicked. 

4.  Sinners  desire  happiness  and  heaven  without  holiness.  Be- 
tween these  two  God  has  established  an  indissoluble  connection. 
He  has  decreed  that  holiness  shall  be  the  only  path  to  happiness. 
But  this  connection  sinners  wish  to  destroy.  They  hate  holiness 
wherever  it  appears,  and  yet  they  intend  to  be  happy.  That  they 
hate  holiness,  is  manifest  by  their  opposition  to  the  fruits  of  holi- 
ness. We  are  assured,  and  every  day's  experience  teaches  us,  that 
they  do  not  choose  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  They  do  not  delight  in 
his  ordinances,  nor  love  his  word,  nor   ofler   to  him  any  humble 


THE    DESIRES    OF    THE    WICKED    liNADMISSIBLE.  249 

prayers.  They  take  no  delight  in  the  people  of  God,  nor  in  the 
character  of  God.  By  all  this  they  make  it  manifest  that  they  are 
at  war  with  holiness.  "  An  unjust  man  is  an  abomination  to  the 
just ;  and  he  that  is  upright  in  the  way  is  abomination  to  the 
wicked." 

But  the  same  cannot  be  said  as  it  regards  happiness.  This  ob- 
ject they  pursue  with  all  their  powers.  "  Who  will  show  me  any 
good  1"  is  their  constant  prayer.  But  the  good  they  seek  is 
worldly  good.  They  intend  to  be  happy  without  God.  They 
think  the  creature  sufficient  to  fill  the  mind. 

Beyond  the  grave  they  hope  and  wish  to  live  in  the  Christian's 
heaven.  Yet  they  have  no  idea  of  any  great  change  necessary  in 
order  to  enjoy  their  bliss.  They  are  often  afraid  that  God  has 
decreed  that  none  but  the  holy  shall  enter  heaven. 

To  these  views  of  the  sinner  the  pious  are  decidedly  opposed. 
Their  prayer  is  that  God  would  not  grant  the  desires  of  the  wicked. 
There  is  nothing  they  love  so  much  as  holiness.  Should  the  con- 
nection between  this  and  happiness  be  broken,  it  would  give  them 
pain.  To  be  holy  is  the  grand  object  of  all  the  saints.  They  have 
all  their  lives  mourned  the  want  of  holiness.  Nothing  else  so 
much  assimilates  the  creature  to  God — and  all  the  saints  wish  to 
be  like  God.  It  is  therefore  their  ardent  desire,  that  themselves 
and  all  they  love  may  be  holy.  It  is  also  their  wish  that  none  but 
the  holy  may  reach  heaven.  It  would  pain  them  to  have  any  there 
but  such  as  are  perfect  in  holiness.  In  every  prayer,  then,  which 
they  make,  they  oppose  the  desires  of  the  wicked.  When  they 
pray  for  the  spread  of  religion,  when  they  pray  for  a  holy  heart, 
when  they  thirst  after  God,  and  when  they  look  forward  and  hope 
for  a  holy  heaven,  they  oppose  the  views  of  the  sinner,  and  vent 
their  ardent  supplications  that  his  prayers  and  his  desires  may  not 
be  granted. 

5.  Sinners  desire  that  Christians  may  walk  disorderly,  and  so 
dishonor  the  religion  of  Jesus.  The  Scriptures  and  daily  expe- 
rience establish  this  point.  Sinners  have  ever  been  watching  for 
the  baitings  of  God's  people.  Nothing  seems  to  give  them  more 
refined  pleasure.  Says  the  prophet  Hosea,  "  They  eat  up  the  sin 
of  my  people,  and  they  set  their  heart  on  their  iniquity."  No 
figure  can  be  more  striking  than  the  one  here  used.  The  sin  of 
God's  people  is  the  food  of  sinners  :  it  is  their  meat  and  their 
drink.  They  must  starve,  if  God's  people  were  perfectly  holy. 
"  Mine  enemies,"  says  the  Psalmist,  "  speak  against  me  ;  and  they 
that  lay  wait  for  my  soul  take  counsel  together."     If  sinners  thus 

VOL.  II.  32 


250  THE    DESIRES    OF    THE    WICKED    INADMISSIBLE. 

lay  wait  for  the  saints,  they  must  desire  them  to  fall.  And  that 
this  is  the  fact  is  proved  by  every  day's  experience.  They  seem 
delighted  when  they  hear  of  the  failings  of  those  who  profess  re- 
lio-ion.  It  is  without  difRculty  that  their  minds  are  impressed  un- 
favorably with  respect  to  the  pious.  Small  evidence  has  great 
weio-ht  in  this  cause.  Hardly  is  any  evidence  required  to  sub- 
stantiate the  vilest  charge  against  the  friends  of  God  and  of  truth. 
In  all  this  sinners  make  known  their  desires;  we  are  assured  that 
they  wish  the  downfall  of  the  Christian. 

But  in  this  matter,  their  views  are  opposed  by  all  the  saints. 
These  pray  that  they  may  not  be  gratified.  Grant  not,  0  Lord, 
the  desires  of  the  wicked.  To  all  who  love  God,  nothing  is  more 
undesirable  than  that  Christians  should  dishonor  their  profession. 
The  holiness  of  the  saints  constitutes  the  beauty  of  Zion.  This 
beauty  must  not  be  tarnished,  yet  tarnished  it  is,  whenever  the 
saints  stray  from  the  path  of  life.  In  every  such  case,  the  grand 
cause  which  engages  the  heart  of  God,  and  of  the  saints,  suffers 
injury.  Against  these  falls  the  saints  pray,  and  are  grieved  when 
they  take  place.  They  love  their  fellow-saints.  Every  spot  that 
appears  in  their  garments  grieves  their  hearts.  They  feel  some 
of  the  same  distress  on  such  occasions,  as  is  felt  when  they  go 
astray  themselves.  Thus  do  we  see  a  reason  why  the  saints 
should  pray  in  direct  opposition  to  the  desires  of  the  wicked. 

6.  The  wicked  desire  to  remain  ignorant  of  their  own  characters. 
This  is  an  undisputed  fact.  We  see  them  bar  their  minds  against 
conviction.  They  dare  not  look  into  their  hearts,  lest  they  should 
become  acquainted  with  themselves.  They  often  oppose  such 
preaching  as  brings  the  truth  to  light,  and  neglect  to  read  those 
parts  of  the  Scriptures  which  are  most  calculated  to  bring  con- 
viction to  the  conscience.  They  dare  not  look  into  their  hearts  ; 
"  They  love  darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  are 
evil."  They  dare  not  come  to  the  light  lest  their  deeds  should 
be  reproved.  Thus  the  ancient  Israelites  shut  their  eyes,  and  re- 
quested their  prophets  to  prophesy  smooth  things,  to  prophesy 
deceit.  We  are  not  to  suppose  that  those  Israelites  differed  from 
other  unbelievers.  Their  desires  were  such  as  are  natural  to  every 
unsanctified  heart.  Ministers  of  the  gospel  are  urged  to  the  same 
thing  as  were  the  prophets,  it  is  wished  that  they  should  so 
preach  as  to  leave  the  conscience  undisturbed.  Sinners  wish  to 
retain  their  good  opinion  of  themselves. 

These  desires  of  the  wicked,  the  people  of  God  pray,  may  not 
be  granted.     To  them  it  is  a  very  desirable   object,  that  men  be- 


THE    DESIRES    OF    THE    WICKED    INADMISSIBLE.  251 

come  acquainted  with  their  own  hearts.  It  is  their  daily  prayer 
that  they  may  enjoy  the  favor  of  being  acquainted  with  themselves. 
And  they  wish  the  ambassadors  of  truth  to  deliver  their  message 
plainly.  They  wish  that  the  wounds  which  sin  has  made  may  be 
probed  to  the  bottom.  On  this  depends  the  safety  of  the  soul. 
A  flattering  ministry  they  consider  the  greatest  curse  with  which 
God  can  afflict  a  people.  Such  a  ministry  seems  to  stop  up  the 
avenues  of  life.  Men  are  usually  first  deluded,  and  then  damned. 
God  even  speaks  of  sending  them  strong  delusions,  that  thej-^  may 
believe  a  lie,  and  be  damned.  Men  who  wish  to  be  deluded,  and 
who  shut  their  eyes  against  the  light,  are  granted  their  request, 
and  are  so  circumstanced  that  their  delusions  become  riveted,  and 
their  destruction  sure.  In  the  view  of  benevolence,  what  can  be 
more  undesirable  than  such  a  state  of  things  1  How  can  Chris- 
tians fail  to  pray  that  God  would  not  grant  these  desires  of  the 
wicked  1 

7.  Wicked  men  are  very  desirous  that  there  may  be  no  day  of 
judgment.  They  do  not  wish  the  final  inspection  of  Omniscience. 
They  dare  not  have  their  conduct  brought  to  a  test.  They  know 
that  if  justice  and  truth  fill  the  throne  their  cause  cannot  be  plead. 
There  can  be  no  plea  offered  in  their  favor.  Their  conduct  as  it 
regards  God  has  been  base,  as  it  regards  their  fellow-creatures, 
deceitful  and  often  unjust.  They  have  broken  the  law,  in  all  its 
precepts,  they  have  treated  Christ  with  neglect,  they  have  violated 
the  rights  of  conscience,  have  resisted  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  have  rejected  eternal  life.  For  these  crimes  against 
God,  and  truth,  and  duty,  they  have  no  excuse  to  ofl"er,  and  they 
dare  not  attempt  to  urge  a  plea.  They  anticipate  the  confusion 
of  such  an  hour  as  shall  bring  all  their  deeds  to  light.  They  dare 
not  be  judged.  And  they  sincerely  desire  that  no  day  of  judg- 
ment may  approach. 

In  such  desires  the  righteous  cannot  unite.  It  is  their  ardent 
wish  that  there  may  be  a  day  that  shall  bring  every  deed  to  light, 
and  pass  an  impartial  judgment  on  all  the  actions  of  men.  They 
do  not  expect  to  answer  for  their  conduct,  any  more  than  sinners 
can  for  theirs.  They  expect,  if  dealt  with  according  to  their  sins, 
eternal  condemnation.  They  intend  to  plead  guilty.  But  they 
hope  that  in  that  great  day  of  dread  decision  and  despair  they  shall 
find  a  friend  in  Christ.  His  blood  will  be  their  only  plea.  They 
will  have  nothing  else  to  say  but  that  they  are  sinners  and  that 
Christ  died  in  their  stead.  But  it  is  not  simply  the  hope  of  safety 
that  reconciles  them  to  the  approach  of  a  day  of  judgment.    They 


-2&2  THE    DESIRES    OF    THE    WICKED    INADMISSIBLE. 

wish  such  a  day  to  come  in  order  that  the  whole  truth  may  come 
to  light.  They  are  willing  that  all  their  sins  should  be  known,  but 
they  are  also  willing  that  every  false  accusation  which  has  been 
laid  against  them  should  be  removed.  If  their  sins  are  all  known 
they  know  that  they  shall  appear  great  sinners,  but  this  will  reflect 
more  honor  upon  Christ  if  he  save  them.  But  to  have  their  char- 
acter cleared  from  every  false  aspersion  will  be  for  the  honor  of 
our  holy  religion. 

A  full  investigation  of  the  character  of  the  sinner  is  considered 
by  them  of  vast  importance.  The  honor  of  God  will  require  this. 
They  are  to  be  doomed  to  eternal  despair,  and  that  God  may  ap- 
pear just  while  he  inflicts  such  an  awful  punishment  it  is  impor- 
tant their  sins  should  all  appear  in  all  their  aggravations.  Then 
will  the  world  see  and  confess  that  God  is  just  in  all  he  does. 
Their  sentence  will  be  approved  by  their  own  consciences  and  by 
all  other  intelligent  beings.  The  character  of  God  will  shine  con- 
spicuous. The  character  of  the  Savior  will  be  elucidated,  and 
heaven  will  be  for  ever  the  more  happy  for  the  investigations  of 
the  judgment  day.  These  things  make  it  very  desirable  in  view 
of  the  saints  that  there  should  be  such  a  day.  Hence  they  con- 
stantly pray  that  the  desires  of  the  wicked  in  this  matter  may  not 
be  granted. 

8.  The  wicked  are  very  desirous  to  be  left  to  act  w'ithout  res- 
traint. Nothing  do  they  desire  more.  Job  represents  the  wicked 
as  saying,  "What  is  the  Almighty  that  we  should  serve  h'nml 
and  what  profit  should  we  have  if  we  pray  unto  him  1"  In  the  sec- 
ond Psalm  the  kings  and  great  men  of  the  earth  are  represented 
as  saying  of  Jehovah,  and  his  anointed,  "  Let  us  break  their  bands 
asunder,  and  cast  away  their  cords  from  us."  James  represents 
the  sinner  as  saying,  "  Onr  tonffues  are  our  own,  and  who  shall  be 
Lord  over  them."  These  scriptures  join  with  many  others,  and 
with  a  thousand  facts,  to  make  it  manifest  that  they  are  impatient 
of  God's  restraints.  Indeed  the  great  quarrel  between  God  and 
sinners  is  this,  that  God  will  restrain  them.  If  he  would  leave 
them  to  act  their  own  pleasure,  they  would  have  no  objections  to 
his  government,  that  is,  each  would  be  willing  that  he  should  gov- 
ern others  and  restrain  others,  but  are  unwilling  themselves  to  be 
under  his  control.  He  may  reign  in  hell,  he  may  restrain  devils, 
but  not  me.  Were  sinners  willing  to  be  under  God's  restraints, 
they  would  manifest  it  by  obeying  his  laws.  His  laws  they  con- 
stantly disregard,  and  by  so  doing,  say,  as  plainly  as  it  can  be  said, 
that  they  desire  to  be  without  restraint. 


THE    DESIRES    OF    THE    WICKED    INADMISSIBLE.  253 

In  this  particular  the  children  of  God,  and  all  holy  beings,  oppose 
their  wishes.  It  would  ruin  the  world  to  have  them  gratified. 
Free  the  wicked  from  restraint  and  there  would  be  but  little  dif- 
ference between  earth  and  hell.  None  could  enjoy  themselves. 
The  wicked  could  not  be  happy  themselves,  and  they  would  not 
allow  the  righteous  to  be  happy.  We  are  certain  that  they  could 
not  be  happy  themselves  ;  for  allow  the  unholy  pnssions  to  reign, 
and  they  uniformly  render  their  possessor  miserable.  They  dis- 
compose the  mind  and  torture  the  soul.  Let  any  one  passion  ffov- 
ern  and  the  man  is  ruined.  Let  envy  predominate  and  tliere  can 
never  be  any  joy  in  the  soul.  It  poisons  every  stream  of  comfort. 
Let  the  other  passions  unite  with  this  ;  let  pride,  and  anger,  and 
revenge,  and  lust — let  these  have  the  reins,  and  there  is  at  once 
a  very  hell  began  in  the  bosom. 

And  these  passions  breaking  out,  for  they  must  break  out,  will 
uniformly  render  others  unhappy.  Let  a  man  be  intoxicated, 
either  with  passion  or  with  spirituous  liquor,  and  the  happiness  of 
all  around  him  is  gone.  One  might  as  soon  be  happy  in  the  front  of 
battle.  We  have  all  had  experience  on  this  point.  Can  we  then 
wonder  that  the  saints  should  pray  against  the  desires  of  the  wick- 
ed '.  Must  it  not  be  the  desire  of  all,  who  wish  to  be  happy,  that 
God  would  restrain  the  wicked  1  Ought  not  the  text  to  be  one 
universal  prayer,  Grant  not,  O  Lord,  the  desires  of  the  wicked. 

INFERENCES. 

1.  Our  subject  shows  us  the  monstrous  wickedness  of  the  heart. 
Perhaps  some  have  doubted  as  I  have  passed  on,  whether  human 
nature  is  so  depraved.  That  very  doubt  proves  the  truth  in  ques- 
tion. God  represents  the  heart  as  deceitful  above  all  things,  and 
desperately  wicked.  If,  then,  men  are  ignorant  of  their  depravity, 
their  ignorance  proves  the  text  to  be  true,  and  establishes  the  doc- 
trine. Since  it  is  the  very  nature  of  a  sinful  heart,  to  hide  its 
own  depravity,  ignorance  of  what  is  in  the  heart  proves  it  de- 
praved. 

Some  of  the  things  we  have  said  seem  too  much  to  say 
of  all  sinners;  but  the  Scriptures  support,  amply,  every  charge. 
Every  heart  in  the  fallen  sons  of  men,  possesses  naturally  the  same 
character.  As  face  answers  to  face  in  the  mirror,  so  does  the  heart 
of  man  to  man.  He  hath  fashioned  their  hearts  alike.  If  any  dif- 
ference is  supposed,  those  who  make  the  supposition  must  prove 
the  fact.  In  order  to  know  what  is  in  the  heart,  we  must  place  it 
where  its  feelings  will  be  called  into  action.     We  have  seen  many 


254  THE    DESIRES    OF    THE    WICKED    INADMISSIBLE. 

who  seemed  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  who  possessed, 
apparently,  every  amiable  virtue,  and  seemed  to  be  friendly  to  re- 
licrion,  who  in  an  hour  of  clear  conviction,  manifested  the  temper 
of  Satan.  Then  the  character  of  the  heart  was  brought  into  view. 
The  Holy  Spirit  brought  those  objects  before  the  mind  which  were 
opposite  to  the  feelings  of  the  heart.  This  brought  the  heart  in- 
to action  and  displayed  its  character.  Ordinarily  men  have  such 
indefinite  ideas  of  God,  and  of  religion,  that  they  know  not 
whether  they  hate  or  love  them.  The  experience  of  all  who  have 
been  born  again,  and  their  confessions,  join  with  Scripture,  to  make 
it  certain  that  the  heart,  while  unrenewed,  is  enmity  against  God 
and  religion.  It  hates  every  thing  that  is  holy.  It  hates  every 
thing  that  opposes  its  selfish  views.  Such  a  heart,  it  is  to  be  ex- 
pected, a  priori^  will  break  out  in  such  desires  as  I  have  in  this  dis- 
course brought  into  view.  It  will  wish  there  were  no  God,  and 
that  its  passions  had  no  restraints  laid  upon  them — even  if  univer- 
sal ruin  ensue.  If,  then,  any  heart  does  not  seem  to  be  so  depraved, 
it  is  because  its  nature  has  not  been  brought  into  view.  It  only 
waits  an  opportunity,  and  its  nature  will  appear. 

2.  We  may  learn  from  our  subject  the  nature  of  that  change, 
which  we  term  regeneration.  It  is  not  a  mere  outward  reforma- 
tion. It  is  a  universal  change  in  the  desires  of  the  heart,  in  the 
affections  of  the  soul.  The  man  may  reform  very  much  without 
being  regenerated.  The  corrupt  principles  of  the  heart  may  for  a 
time  lie  inoperative  without  being  destroyed.  Regeneration  be- 
gins, and  ensures  their  destruction.  In  order  to  hope  that  we  are 
regenerated,  we  must  feel  that  we  have  a  set  of  new  desires,  not 
only  distinct  from,  but  opposite  to  those  desires  which  we  before 
entertained. 

3.  Our  subject  shows  us  the  great  difference  between  the  right- 
eous and  the  wicked.  They  have  directly  opposite  desires.  The 
wishes  and  the  prayers  of  the  one  are  directly  opposed  to  the 
wishes  and  the  prayers  of  the  other.  If  one  is  gratified  the  other 
mourns.  If  one  is  exalted  the  other  sinks.  If  one  is  happy  the 
other  weeps.  Hence  there  is  an  absolute  necessity,  if  they  de- 
pend on  God  for  happiness,  that  one  or  the  other  be  for  ever 
miserable. 

4.  Our  subject  shows  us  why  sinners  do  not  desire  or  relish  the 
society  of  the  righteous.  They  have  opposing  desires.  They 
pursue  distinct  interests.  Of  course  their  language  and  their  em- 
plovrncnt  must  be  distinct  and  opposite.  This  beingthe  case,  how 
can  they  associate  1     While  one  remains  the  friend  of  God,  and 


THE    DESIRES    OF    THE    WICKED    INADMISSIBLE.  255 

the  Other  his  enemy,  one  pursues  the  interests  of  his  kingdom,  the 
other  pulls  down — while  this  remains  the  case  they  must  dwell 
apart,  or  if  together  must  be  unhappy. 

5.  We  learn  from  our  subject  that  there  must  be  hereafter  two 
worlds,  one  for  the  righteous,  the  other  for  the  wicked.  No  doubt 
there  will  be  the  same  difference  in  their  characters  hereafter  that 
there  is  in  this  world.  They  will  continue  to  have  opposite  inter- 
ests. They  cannot  then  dwell  together  in  peace  in  the  same  world. 
As  the  kingdom  of  light  and  the  kingdom  of  darkness  are  entirely 
distinct  here,  so  they  must  be  hereafter.  Christ  will  say  to  the 
righteous,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom 
prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 

6.  We  may  infer  from  our  subject,  the  necessity  of  ministers 
preaching  doctrines  which  the  impenitent  will  be  unwilling  to 
hear.  We  have  seen  that  they  are  desirous  not  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  their  own  hearts,  but  the  design  of  preaching  the 
gospel  is,  to  make  men  acquainted  with  themselves,  that  they  may 
be  brought  to  repentance.  Our  labor,  then,  would  all  be  lost  if 
we  left  out  of  view  those  doctrines  which  sinners  are  more  gener- 
ally unwilling  to  hear.  Instead  of  passing  these  doctrines  by, 
these  are  the  very  doctrines  which,  above  all  others,  we  must 
preach.  They  object  to  these  doctrines  because  they  alarm  their 
consciences.  They  cannot  rest  easy,  they  cannot  feel  satisfied 
with  themselves  while  these  doctrines  are  preached,  hence  they 
complain.  Their  complaints  cannot  be  heard.  The  very  doctrines 
they  oppose  must  often  be  preached. 


SERMON     LXIII. 
THE  CHRISTIAN'S  REVIEW. 

ROMANS    VI.    21. 

Wliat  fruit  had  ye  iheii  in  those  things,  whereof  ve  arc  now  ashamed  f  for  the  end  of  those  things 

is  death. 

The  apostle  inquires  of  the  converts  of  his  time,  what  fruit  they 
had  in  those  things  of  which  they  are  now  ashamed,  things,  the 
end  of  which  is  death.  Hence  three  q-.iestions  proper  to  be  put 
now  to  those  who  were  once  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  under 
the  bonds  of  iniquity:  What  fruit  had  you  then  in  the  works  of 
sin  !  why  have  you  become  ashamed  of  them  1  and  how  is  their 
end  death  1 

I.  What  part  had  you  in  the  works  of  sin  1  The  question 
amounts  to  this.  What  enjoyments  had  you  1  Did  the  service  of 
the  prince  of  darkness  make  you  happy  1  Or  are  the  Scriptures 
true,  and  was  the  way  of  transgressors  hard"?  Let  me  say,  and 
if  I  fail  to  prove  my  positions,  let  theiTi  be  rejected,  that  the  plea- 
sures of  a  life  of  ungodliness,  are  neither  innocent,  nor  rational, 
nor  satisfying,  nor  elevating,  nor  abiding,  nor  safe. 

1.  They  are  not  innocent.  Men  who  refuse  to  be  happy  in  the 
way  that  God  appoints,  cannot  be  innocently  happy  in  any  way. 
He  directs  that  we  be  happy  in  servng  him  ;  that  we  make  it  our 
meat  and  drink  to  do  his  will  and  pleasure.  "  Whether,  therefore, 
ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God." 
We  are  to  walk  in  the  ways  of  wisdom,  and  have  the  promise  that 
Avc  shall  find  them  ways  of  pleasantness  and  paths  of  peace.  Now 
if  men  do  not  love  God,  and  will  not  take  pleasure  in  obeying  him, 
it  must  be  that  they  are  not  innocently  happy.  Made  as  we  are, 
we  shall  either  love  God  supremely,  and  then  shall  be  happy  in 
serving  him,  or  shall  set  up  some  idol  in  his  place,  and  put  our 
trust,  and  draw  our  enjojrment,  from  some  forbidden  source.  It 
matters  not  as  it  regards  the  innocence  of  our  enjoyments,  whe- 
ther they  are  derived  from  one  created  object  or  another,  if  we  do 
not  joy  in  God,  we  cannot  be  innocent.  If  we  permit  the  noblest 
object  he  ever   built,  to  take  the   place  of  himself  in  our  esteem, 


THE    christian's    REVIEW.  257 

and  every  unregenerate  man  does,  God  must  feel  himself  robbed 
and  insulted. 

2.  The  pleasures  of  ungodly  men,  not  being  innocent,  are  not 
rational.  I  know  that  many  may  think  this  a  high  and  unwar- 
ranted charge  against  the  whole  family  of  the  unsanctified,  and 
still  it  is  easily  supported.  It  surely  is  most  reasonable  that  men 
put  themselves  under  the  guidance  of  their  Maker,  and  obey  him 
in  all  things,  and  on  him  place  supremely  their  affections.  But 
none  of  these  is  true  of  the  ungodly.  They  are  not  willingly  un- 
der the  Divine  guidance,  else  they  would  have  the  best  possible 
evidence  that  they  are  the  children  of  God.  His  law  they  do  not 
make  their  guide,  nor  his  word  the  man  of  their  counsel,  else  they 
would  have  the  testimony  of  this  text  among  others  that  they  are 
his  children,  "  Then  are  ye  my  disciples,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I 
command  you."  And  the  charge  against  them  is,  that  they  love 
the  world  and  the  things  of  the  world,  and  that  the  love  of  the 
Father  is  not  in  them  :  and  all  this  cannot  be  reasonable.  Hence 
the  pleasures  of  ungodly  men  are  not  reasonable  pleasures,  in  other 
words  they  are  not  rationally  happy.  If  we  inquire  in  what  their 
pleasures  consist,  we  shall  gain  additional  evidence  thit  they  are 
not  rational.  They  consist  in  the  gratification  of  their  appetites 
and  passions,  not  in  those  pursuits  that  elevate  the  mind  and  mend 
the  heart. 

3.  The  pleasures  of  unregenerate  men  are  not  satisfying.  That 
which  is  neither  innocent  nor  rational,  we  should  not  expect  would 
be  satisfying ;  we  should  promptly  declare  it  impossible.  God  has 
made  the  brute  creation,  but  not  man,  to  be  satisfied  with  the  gra- 
tifications of  appetite.  This  is  their  noblest  power,  the  highest 
happiness  they  are  capable  of.  Of  them  God  has  not  required  a 
higher  aim,  nor  even  this  ;  he  requires  nothing.  Of  man  he  re- 
quires, that  we  give  him  our  hearts,  and  man  he  has  made  capable 
of  a  higher  enjoyment  through  the  medium  of  the  moral  affections, 
than  through  the  gratifications  of  appetite.  And  he  requires  us 
to  be  happy  through  this  higher  medium.  He  will  not  be  satisfied 
that  our  noblest  powers  lie  dormant ;  and  while  he  is  not  so,  nei- 
ther shall  we  be.  if  we  are  capable  of  ten  degrees  of  happiness, 
five  will  not  satisfy  us.  Feed  the  appetites  to  the  full,  and  we 
have  only  the  five  degrees,  and  are  not  satisfied.  Men  have  made 
the  trial.  We  have  an  instance  exactly  in  point  in  Solomon.  He 
built  houses,  and  planted  vineyards,  and  made  gardens,  and  orch- 
ards, and  pools  of  water,  and  got  him  men  and  maid  servants,  and 
cattle,  and  silver  and  gold,  and  musicians,  and  every  tiling  that  his 

VOL.  II.  33 


258  THE  christian's  review. 

heart  could  desire.  And  when  done,  he  declares  thenn  all  vanity 
and  vexation  of  spirit ;  they  did  not  satisfy  him.  And  if  such  is 
the  experience  of  one  who  had  the  means  of  gratifying  his  senses 
to  the  full,  and  spared  no  pains  to  do  so,  what  must  be  the  sure 
experience  of  all  other  men,  when  they  shall  have  made  their 
hifrhest  efforts.  They  know  their  own  comforts  to  be  poor  and 
unsatisfying,  but  are  so  unhappy  as  to  doubt  whether  religion 
would  furnish  them  any  better  comforts.  Hence  they  press  on, 
and  still  hope  that  some  object  may  lie  ahead,  not  yet  overtaken, 
that  will  yield  them  the  very  blessedness  they  covet. 

4.  The  pleasures  of  ungodly  men  are  not  calculated  to  elevate, 
but  to  depress  their  nature.     They  take  pleasure  in  objects  beneath 
the  dignity  of  their  being.    If  they  would  uniforndy  pursue  science, 
and  aim  to  elevate  their  minds,  and  take  some  mighty  grasp  of  the 
works  of  Goil,  then  would  less  be  said  ;  though  still,  till  they  should 
give  him   their  hearts,   they  would   find   themselves   meanly  em- 
ployed.    But,  unhappily,  they  do  not  care,  ordinarily,  to  attend  at 
all  to  the  elevation  of  their  being.     The  things  they  might  easily 
know,  they  do  not  care  to  know  ;  the  books  they  might  read,  and 
that  lie  in  their  way,  they  will  not  read  ;  the  very  hours  they  have 
to  spare,  and   that   hang   heavy  on  their  hands,  they  would  rather 
occupy  in  trifles  than  in  the   acquisition   of  solid   science.     The 
Sabbaths,  for  instance,  that  are  not  spent  in  the  sanctuary,  how  sel- 
dom are  they  employed  in  the  acquisition   of  science,  though  to 
thus  employ  them  would  be  wrong.     And  the  evenings,  and  other 
hours  of  relaxation,  how  belittling  is   more  generally  the  employ- 
ment with  which  they  are  filled  up — the  most  useless  conversation, 
or  the  merest  indolence.      0,  how  much  these  hours  might  do  for 
the  mind — suppose   it   of  no  importance   that   the  heart  be  made 
better.     How  might  all  our  young  men  acquire  a  knowledge  of 
history,  and   enter  more  or  less  profoundly  into  science,  and  rise 
to  the  ability  of  reasoning  ably,  and  speaking  eloquently,  and  wield- 
ing an  honest  and  masterly  influence  in  any  great  matter  of  interest 
that  should  come  before  them.     What  a  pity  it  would  seem  to  be, 
that  the  noble  mind,  made  in  the  image  of  God,  and,  for  ouuht  we 
know,  capable  of  soaring  in  company  of  angels,  in  flights  of  sublime 
conception,  should  be  held  down  by  a  depraved  taste,  and  by  sor- 
did appetites,  to  daily  converse  with  the  merest  trifles  of  time  and 
sense.     I  remember  the  disgust  it   gave  me,  when  I  read  of  one 
of  the  emperors  of  antiquity,  that  most  of  his  time  was  spent  in 
catching  flies.     Though  a  mere  child,  when  I  met  with  this  histo- 
rical fact,  I  involuntarily  inquired,  why  his  croum,  and  thro7ie,  and 


THE    christian's    REVIEW.  259 

sceptre  ?  A  beggar  boy  might  succeed  as  well  as  he,  in  his  sordid 
occupation.  But  why  did  he  appear  meanly  occupied,  but  as  I 
compared  his  employment  with  some  nobler  business  that  might 
have  occupied  h'lml  Go,  then,  with  me  to  some  place  of  idle  con- 
course, and  I  will  show  you  many  a  mind  occupied  as  meanly, 
compared  with  its  powers,  and  perhaps  with  its  ultimate  destiny, 
as  in  the  case  named.  It  is  more  than  possible  that  the  youth  who 
is  wasting  his  evenings  in  noisy  laughter  and  trifling,  if  not  lewd 
and  profane  conversation,  might  soon  render  himself  capable 
of  the  noblest  excursions  of  science,  and  follow  Newton  in  his 
track  among  the  stars. 

Ah  !  who  does  not  see,  that  if  men  had  minds  only,  no  conscience, 
no  powers  of  affection,  nor  hopes  of  immortality,  the  belittling  occu- 
pations of  sin  disgrace  their  intellectual  character,  and  fix  reproach 
upon  them.  But  when  we  consider  man  in  his  nobler  parts,  capa- 
ble of  loving  and  honoring  his  Maker,  capable  of  being  employed 
as  angels  are,  in  executing  the  noblest  designs  of  infinite  love,  how 
can  we  fail  to  see,  in  the  ordinary  enterprises  of  depraved  men, 
danger  that  they  will  let  down  their  nature ;  danger  that  they  will 
find,  when  life  is  done,  that  they  have  degraded  their  being,  as  well 
as  lost  their  souls.  Suppose  that  Newton,  after  he  made  his  noble 
excursions  in  science,  could  have  remembered  that  he  was  once  a 
menial,  occupied  with  the  merest  drudgeries  of  life  — would  it  not 
have  seemed  to  him  a  pity  that  he  had  not  begun  his  excursions 
earlier,  and  not  employed  his  noble  mind  in  what  must  have  tended 
to  cramp  and  contract  its  powers.  And  should  those  hereafter 
become  Christians,  who  now  are  quite  content  with  the  little  play- 
things of  time  and  sense,  how  would  they  mourn  at  the  retrospect. 
And  be  it  otherwise,  it  alters  not  the  fact,  that  ungodly  men  are 
employed  in  a  manner  beneath  the  dignity  of  their  nature. 

5.  I  remark  again,  that  the  pleasures  of  the  wicked  are  not 
abiding.  What  joy  they  have,  and  it  is  far  beneath  what  they 
might  have,  is  fleeting  and  transitory.  There  is  no  steady  light 
of  day  shining  upon  their  path  ;  they  walk  by  the  glimmerings  of 
a  taper,  or  at  the  best,  by  the  lightning's  glare,  or  the  twinkling  of 
some  distant  star.  If  somewhat  happy,  they  often  know  not  why, 
or  if  they  know  why,  dare  not  dwell  on  the  cause  of  their  joy, 
knowing  it  to  be  such  that  a  single  hour  may  make  them  wretched. 
Would  they  tell  the  reason  why  they  are  happy,  it  would  be  seen 
to  be  merely  a  reason  why  they  should  be  afflicted  and  mourn,  and 
convert  their  laughter  into  mourning,  and  their  joy  into  heaviness. 
Every  object  on  which  their  joy  depends  is  perishingr-'s  a  dying 


-260  THE  christian's  review. 

and  a  transitory  object.  They  were  not  created  to  be  the  perma- 
nent food  of  an  itnmortal  mind.  They  answer  as  the  mere  play- 
things of  men  that  have  no  richer  treasures,  no  "  inheritance  in- 
corruptible, undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  eternal  in  the 
heavens."  In  the  dying  hour,  at  the  farthest,  and  often  long  be- 
fore, the  treasures  of  the  ungodly  take  to  themselves  wings,  and 
fly  away  as  an  eagle  toward  heaven.  Just  when  they  calculated 
that  their  joy  would  be  perfect,  it  proves  a  dream.  What  they 
grasped  at  was  a  mere  shadow,  and  shrunk  away  from  their  grasp. 
Their  hope  perished,  when  God  took  away  the  soul.  To  expect 
permanent  bliss,  and  base  the  hope  of  it  on  that  which  worms  can 
devour,  and  thieves  break  through  and  steal,  is  to  expect  grapes 
of  thorns  and  figs  of  thistles  ;  is  to  sow  to  the  wind  and  reap  the 
whirlwind;  is  to  pierce  ourselves  through  with  many  sorrows. 

6.  The  ungodly  are  conversant  only  with  dangerous  pleasures. 
Their  pleasures  are  constantly  the  means  of  their  undoing,  being 
guilty  and  forbidden.  That  a  nature  capable  of  loving  his  Maker, 
should  fix  his  supreme  attachment  elsewhere,  is  offering  God  a 
perpetual  insult,  and  exposing  the  offender  to  the  indignation  and 
wrath  of  the  holy  and  jealous  Jehovah.  The  stronger  our  affec- 
tions, and  of  course  the  higher  our  pleasure,  the  more  imminent 
our  danofer.  The  best  chance  of  safety  consists  in  not  allowing 
ourselves  to  be  very  happy,  if  our  joy  is  not  in  God  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  know  that  common  opinion,  and  dangerous 
as  it  is  common,  that  men  should  feel  it  their  duty  to  be  happy, 
but  1  see  no  warrant  for  it  in  the  Scriptures.  If  to  be  very  happy 
we  must  love  idolatrously  what  God  has  forbidden  us  to  love,  then 
is  nothing  plainer  than  that  our  guilt  must  increase  with  our  hap- 
piness, and  God  be  the  more  offended.  In  such  objects,  then,  if 
we  be  aslced  whether  it  is  our  duty  to  try  to  be  happy,  the  answer 
is  in  the  negative.  God  would  see  his  creatures  happy,  if  they 
will  joy  in  him,  but  has  said  in  his  word  that  delight  is  riot  seemly 
for  a  fool,  and  has  bid  the  ungodly  to  be  afllicted  and  mourn. 
Hence  all  those  amusements  where  ungodly  men  find  their  high- 
est delight,  are  but  cunningly  devised  means  of  doing  without  (lud, 
and  arc  dangerous,  in  proportion  as  they  are  fascinating.  Nor  is 
it  kind  to  wish  them  the  undisturbed  enjoyment  of  these  high 
and  absorbing  idolatries.  Were  I  in  India,  I  would  oppose 
the  worship  of  the  pagoda,  because  there  is  worshiped  in  these 
little  sanctuaries,  the  images  which  God  has  forbidden  both  the 
making  of,  and  bowing  down  to  ;  but  I  would  oppose  more  yet  the 
feasts  of  Jugernaut,  becausa  an  artful  priesthood  has  thrown  more 


THE    christian's    r.EVlEU'.  261 

fascinations  about  the  sacred  car  of  that  idol.  At  the  worship  of 
the  latter,  an  Indian  would  be  the  most  exhilarated,  or  if  you 
please,  the  most  happy,  but  for  this  very  reason  the  most  guilty 
Then  he  would  devote  his  whole  heart  to  the  false  god,  and  then 
offend  his  Maker  most.  It  is  thus,  precisely,  with  unregenerate 
men.  There  are  some  of  their  pleasures  Avhich,  perhaps,  they 
could  be  persuaded  to  abandon,  but  others  they  would  risk  their 
lives  to  defend.  But  the  whole  are  unsafe  pleasures,  and  those  the 
most  loved  the  most  dangerous.  Let  the  man  sit  down  thus  de- 
liberately, and  make  out  the  full  catalogue  of  those  objects  that 
hold  his  heart  away  from  God,  placing  at  the  top  of  that  list  his 
highest,  dearest  idol,  where  his  heart  clings  with  the  grasp  of 
death,  and  he  may  rest  assured  that  the  most  beloved  object  is  the 
most  dangerous,  and  that  the  residue  are  dangerous  in  proportion 
to  the  strength  of  affection.  Till  we  have  giveii  God  the  supreme 
place  in  our  hearts  it  is  dangerous  to  love  any  object,  as  one  the 
most  trifling  may  become,  before  we  are  aware,  our  supreme  idol. 
How  has  the  game  at  cards  weaned  away  a  man  from  his  family, 
and  become  dearer  to  him  than  his  beloved  wife  and  his  flock  of 
children  1  And  the  guilty  carouse,  and  the  forbidden  cup,  how 
have  they  a  thousand  times  torn  asunder  every  ligature  that  held 
the  husband  and  the  father  to  his  home,  and  his  fireside  1  What 
pleasure,  then,  is  not  a  dangerous  one,  if  our  supreme  delight  is 
not  in  God  1 

Thus  the  Christian  can  look  back  to  the  time  when  his  heart 
went  after  forbidden  pleasures,  but  when  he  had  no  fruit  in  those 
things  of  which  he  is  now  ashamed,  and  the  end  of  which  is  death. 
They  were  neither  innocent,  nor  rational,  nor  satisfying,  nor  elevated, 
nor  abiding,  nor  safe. 

How  wonderful,  that  he  should  have  made  his  escape  from  such 
a  labyrinth  of  danger  !  It  will  be  to  the  good  man  a  source  of 
wonder  for  ever,  that  sin  did  not  prove  his  ruin.  And  the  grace 
of  God,  which  snatched  him  as  a  brand  from  the  burning,  will  be 
in  the  future  world  the  subject  of  his  elevated  and  eternal  praise. 

Having  noticed  how  entirely  without  any  fruit  or  enjoyment 
was  the  good  man  in  his  unconverted  state,  in  those  things  which 
he  once  tried  to  enjoy,  we  shall 

II.  View  him  under  the  operation  of  that  shame  and  regret  to 
which  his  past  conduct  has  subjected  him.  Unregenerate  men 
have  no  idea  that  they  are  now  putting  forth  those  affections  and 
betraying  that  character  that  they  shall  hereafter  be   ashamed  of. 


262  THE  christian's  review. 

They  have  usually  very  high-minded  noti()ns  of  their  own  demean- 
or as  honest,  and  upright,  and  dignified,  and  above  all  censure. 
But  this  pride  is  the  result  of  their  ignorance  of  their  own  hearts, 
of  the  law  of  God,  and  of  that  spirit  and  temper  which  the  gos- 
pel requires.  The  man  has  only  to  know  himself,  to  become 
ashamed.  And  this  would  never  be  but  for  the  agency  of  the  Ho- 
ly Ghost.  He  would  continue  till  he  dies  in  all  the  pride  of  unbe- 
lief, if  not  enlightened  from  above.  But  we  have  our  eye  on  the 
man  whom  it  was  the  Divine  purpose  to  bring  to  a  timely  repent- 
ance, and  to  do  this  would  first  render  him  ashamed  of  the  very 
things  which  he  once  sought  as  his  supreme  delight. 

He  is  brought  to  see  that  God  is  worthy  of  his  whole  heart,  and 
that  he  has  withheld  it,  and  has  worshiped  and  served  the  creature 
more  than  the  Creator,  who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever.  He 
becomes  conscious  of  a  quarrel  with  his  Maker,  but  for  no  reason 
that  he  dare  now  assign.  Every  attribute  of  his  nature  is  glorious, 
and  every  act  of  his  government  holy,  and  just,  and  good. 

And  still  the  sinner  has  placed  his  supreme  love  on  some  idol,  and 
refused  to  love  and  worship  his  Maker  and  his  Redeemer.  Years 
and  years  he  persevered  in  this  course  of  downright  revolt,  break- 
ing every  law  of  his  rightful  Sovereign,  and  suffering  his  heart  to 
be  governed  in  all  its  affections  by  some  worthless  object,  that  did 
not  deserve  his  love.  And  all  this  time,  as  he  now  sees,  God  was 
his  kind  and  gracious  benefactor.  This  thought  fills  him  with  the 
deepest  shame.  As  if  one  should  discover,  late  in  life,  that  some 
good  man,  that  he  had  always  hated,  and  ten  thousand  times 
abused,  privately  and  publicly,  had  been  his  kind  and  constant  be- 
nefactor;  had  fed  his  family,  and  provided  covertly  for  all  his 
wants  ;  how  covered  with  shame,  in  that  case,  would  he  be,  on 
discovering  that  he  had  his  best  friend  in  one  that  he  had  ever 
treated  contemptuously,  and  hated  and  abused  most  cordially. 

Thus  the  good  man,  when  he  waked  to  a  sense  of  his  condition, 
was  filled  with  confusion.  "  Then  shalt  thou  be  ashamed,"  says 
the  prophet,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  "  and  never  open  thy  mouth 
any  more,  because  of  thy  shame,  when  I  am  pacified  toward  thee 
for  all  that  thou  hast  done."  And  the  Psalmist  says,  "Thou 
makest  me  to  bear  the  iniquities  of  my  youth."  His  shame  is 
greatly  enhanced  by  the  consideration  that  he  must  now  be  in- 
debted, as  he  always  has  been,  for  all  his  benefits  to  one  whom  he 
has  always  expelled  from  his  affections. 

He  sees,  too,  that  the  ground  of  his  preference  for  idols  was  a 
depraved  and  base  heart,  that  would  prefer    any  thing  to  God, 


THE    christian's    REVIEW.  263 

would  love  a  stock  or  a  stone  more  than  the  infinitely  adorable  and 
kind  Creator;  and  in  the  mean  time,  would  not  be  convinced  that 
the  course  he  took  ruined  him,  that  his  misplaced  affections  pol- 
luted and  belittled  his  mind,  and  that  he  was  ensnared,  and  im- 
poverished, and  destroyed  by  the  works  of  his  own  hands.  Now 
it  is  that  the  man  becomes  filled  with  shame  and  confusion  of 
face.     I  proceed, 

III.  To  show  that  the  end  of  these  things  would  naturally  have 
been,  to  the  now  regenerate  man,  and  must  be  to  all  men  who  do 
not  repent,  death:  the  end  of  these  things  is  death.  This  will  be 
seen,  when  we  consider.  That  a  course  of  sin  leads  to  bad  society^ 
absorbs  precious  time,  engenders  an  erroneous  creed,  benumbs  the  right 
affectio7is,  nourishes  the  wicked  passions,  and  provokes  the  Spirit  of 
God. 

1.  A  course  of  sin  leads  to  bad  society.  If  men  will  be  trans- 
gressors, they  must  of  necessity  associate  with  men  of  similar 
pursuit.  The  gregarious  nature  of  man  prompts  him  to  seek 
society,  and  renders  him  unhappy  when  alone,  or  when  insulated 
from  his  fellows.  Hence  men  that  do  not  love  the  Lord,  must 
mingle  with  that  portion  of  the  human  family  that  have  on  the 
same  general  character.  And  those  who  have  gone  the  greatest 
lengths  in  vice,  have  thus  opportunity  to  approach  and  pollute  all 
the  residue.  Suppose,  then,  that  some  unrenewed  man  should 
determine  not  to  be  polluted  by  those  who  are  worse  in  temper 
and  habits  than  himself,  how  shall  he  prevent  it  1  Suppose  him 
not  profane,  how  shall  he  be  a  social  man  if  he  will  not  associate 
with  the  godly,  and  not  come  in  contact  and  be  injured  by  those 
who  lift  their  mouth  against  the  heavens  '\  Suppose  him  not  accus- 
tomed to  speak  lightly  of  Divine  institutions,  or  of  good  men,  or 
those  measures  that  promote  the  prosperity  of  the  Church  ;  still 
how  shall  he  be  social  with  the  ungodly,  and  not  come  into  con- 
stant fellowship  with  men  of  this  character  1  Make  the  attempt  to 
collect  a  company  of  sober,  serious,  thoughtful,  ungodly  men,  and 
if  you  do  not  soon  discover  that  no  such  society  can  be  formed, 
then  have  we  very  much  mstaken  the  true  state  of  the  world. 
Where  will  you  assemble  them  1  Not  at  the  sanctuary — not  at 
the  place  of  conference  and  prayer — not  by  the  fireside  of  the 
man  of  God  : — there  the  godly  meet.  You  must  keep  your  serious 
unregenerate  man  at  home,  or  you  must  carry  him  to  the  place 
where  sinners  love  to  meet,  and  then  you  bring  him  in  contact 
with  profanity,  and  lewdness,  and  evil  speaking ;  and,  first  or  last 


264 


THE    CHRISTIAN  S    REVIEW. 


with  all  that  is  coarse  and  vulgar  in  vice.  He  must  walk  in  the 
counsel  of  the  ungodly,  and  he  must  stand  in  the  way  of  sinners, 
and  must  at  length  sit  down  in  the  seat  of  the  scornful.  Thus,  the 
fact  of  his  being  unregenerate,  if  he  mingle  with  men  at  all,  brings 
him  naturally  into  bad  society,  and  into  contact  gross  and  dan- 
gerous with  all  that  is  polluting  in  moral  character.  There  are 
but  two  societies,  the  godly  and  the  ungodly.  I  know  some  pains 
may  be  taken  to  exclude  from  some  of  these  circles  somewhat  of 
the  low  and  vulgar  in  character;  but  I  know,  too,  that  such  efforts 
are  but  to  a  very  small  extent  successful.  There  may  be  excluded 
the  sot,  who  has  been  seen  by  every  one  in  his  most  disgusting 
fits  of  inebriation  ;  but  I  never  knew  the  exclusion  to  extend  to  the 
more  decent  inebriate,  who  will  have  his  wine  after  dinner,  and 
drink  himself  senseless  at  the  midnight  card  table.  There  may  be 
excluded,  perhaps,  some  more  vulgar  of  the  profane,  but  never  the 
men  who  can  sneer  decently,  and  shape  their  oaths  a  little  to  the 
time,  and  place,  and  company.  There  may  be  excluded  some  spe- 
cies of  the  lewd  and  the  profligate,  but  never  wholly  the  men  that 
practice  that  iniquity  according  to  the  maxims  of  high  and  polished 
life.  Thus  is  it  vain  to  hope  that  the  society  of  the  ungodly  can 
be  purged,  so  that  it  shall  not  be  the  high  road  to  all  the  grosser 
vices,  and  to  death  itself. 

2.  A  course  of  sin  absorbs  precious  time.  Unregenerate  men 
throw  away  very  many  years  of  their  probation.  All  that  time 
that  the  Christian  must  spend  in  his  closet,  in  the  study  of  the 
Bible,  and  in  the  duties  of  domestic  worship,  the  ungodly  have  to 
spare.  Hence  time  often  hangs  heavily  on  their  hands,  and  hence 
the  pastimes,  properly  so  called,  are  means  invented  to  murder  all 
those  precious  hours  that  are  not  filled  up  in  the  acquisition  of 
wealth.  Now,  if  men  must  associate  with  those  who  have  time  to 
spare,  they  must,  of  course,  form  the  habit  of  wasting  time.  This 
shortens  life,  and  begets  the  habit  of  not  thinking — the  habit  of 
placing  the  mind  in  an  attitude  of  listlessness  and  inattention,  than 
which  no  habit  can  be  more  ruinous  to  one  whose  happiness  in  this 
life  and  in  the  life  to  come  depends  so  much  on  prompt  and  vigor- 
ous action.  If  we  are  to  reach  heaven,  and  would  be  prepared  for 
it,  we  must  form  soon  the  very  opposite  habit,  and  must  learn  to 
husband  well  every  hour  that  lies  between  us  and  the  grave. 

If  there  were  no  oaths  heard,  and  no  evil  bias  of  the  affections 
generated,  still  no  price  should  tempt  the  man  who  hopes  to  come 
to  heaven,  to  waste  his  mornings  and  his  evenings,  and  his  leisure 
days,  in  the  places  of  lounging  indolence.     The  mere  habit  of  let- 


THE    christian's    REVIEW.  265 

ting  time  pass  unoccupied,  has  a  fatal  influence  upon  the  welfare 
of  the  soul.  We  have  known  it  to  draw  back  from  the  path  of 
life  many  a  man,  who,  but  for  having  formed  this  one  habit,  bid 
fair  to  reach  the  kingdom  of  God.  His  apostacy  from  a  fair  pro- 
fession, and  the  hopes  of  glory,  began  in  his  return  to  the  habit  of 
chatting  and  laughing  away  leisure  hours.  The  Christian  has  no 
leisure  hours.  There  are  no  little  nooks  of  time  that  he  cannot 
fill  up  to  the  best  advantage  ;  and  he  may  as  soon  return  to  any 
other  vicious  course,  as  to  the  habit  of  wasting  his  precious  hours. 
Should  we  find  he  had  returned  to  his  oaths,  or  to  his  Sabbath- 
breaking,  or  to  his  cups,  though  it  might  shock  us  more,  it  would 
not  be  more  ominous  of  his  future  entire  apostacy,  than  a  return  to 
his  idle  amusements. 

3.  A  course  of  sin  is  death,  as  it  leads  to  the  adoption  of  bad 
sentiments,  and  engenders  an  erroneous  creed.  There  is  a  whole 
system  of  infidelity  taught  and  believed  in  the  promiscuous  asso- 
ciations of  the  ungodly.  It  may  not  be  styled  infidelity,  and  lec- 
tures may  not  be  given  in  the  formal  didactic  mode,  but  the  result 
may  be  the  same.  Let  the  child  hear  it  said  to-day  at  the  tavern 
door,  that  there  is  no  harm  in  the  milder  forms  of  profanity,  and 
he  imbibes  the  idea  that  there  is  no  obligation  in  that  terrible  law, 
"  Thou  shall  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain ;"  and 
this  is  infidelity.  Let  him  hear  it  said  in  the  same  place  or  some 
other,  that  these  Christians  are  a  set  of  the  most  profound  hypocrites, 
and  he  learns  to  doubt  whether  God  requires  his  people  to  be  a 
chosen  generation,  a  peculiar  people,  and  this  is  infidelity.  Let  him 
hear  it  said  the  next  day,  that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  mere  child  of 
Joseph,  and  not  as  he  pretended,  God  manifest  in  the  flesh  ;  and  this 
again  is  infidelity.  Let  him  hear  again  that  probably  the  Bible  has 
been  wrongfully  translated,  and  much  corrupted  by  designing  men, 
so  that  we  cannot  know  how  much  of  it  is  the  testimony  of  God  ; 
and  this  is  a  still  more  open  and  barefaced  infidelity.  Thus  our 
children,  if  they  may  spend  their  evenings  and  their  play-days 
about  the  place  of  idle  concourse,  are  taught  intelligibly  and  fa- 
tally to  reject  the  whole  counsel  of  God.  Thus  many  of  our  young 
men,  while  perhaps  they  have  attended  morning  and  evening  upon 
a  father's  prayers,  have  been  put  into  the  school  of  infidelity,  and 
the  parent  has  discovered  just  when  he  hoped  they  would  become 
a  comfort  to  him,  that  their  sentiments  had  been  ruined,  and  the 
broad  foundation  laid  for  their  final  perdition. 

I  have  proceeded  on  the  principle  that  sentiment  is  the  founda- 
tion of  character,  and  character  the  ground  of  salvation.     Hence 
VOL.  II.  34 


266  THE  christian's  review. 

the  end  of  these  things  is  death.  No  man  can  without  danger  im- 
bibe one  wrong  sentiment.  It  will  assuredly  bias,  wrong  his  heart, 
and  be  acted  out  in  conduct  that  will  offend  the  Lord.  Thus  the 
end  of  these  things  is  death. 

4.  A  course  of  sin  benumbs  the  right  affections.  It  tends  to  des- 
troy filial  confidence,  and  fraternal,  and  parental,  and  conjugal  af- 
fection. Devotion  to  some  idol  easily  becomes  stronger  than  any 
of  the  natural  relationships,  and  thus  neutralizes  many  a  restraint, 
that  the  God  of  nature,  as  the  infidel  would  name  Jehovah,  has  im- 
posed. But  when  we  pass  these  and  speak  of  the  religious  affec- 
tions, it  hardly  need  be  said  that  all  these  are  suppressed  and 
quenched  by  a  course  of  sin.  How  many  children  that  have  been 
taught  the  fear  of  God,  a  respect  for  his  word,  a  reverence  for  his 
Sabbath,  regard  for  his  people  and  his  house,  and  his  ordinance, 
have  had  them  all  eradicated  as  th^y  rose  in  life,  and  mingled  with 
men  versed  in  the  art  of  undermining  virtue.  I  have  seen  the  lad 
of  promise  at  the  family  altar,  ready  to  believe  a  father's  testimony, 
and  listen  to  a  mother's  instruction,  and  giving  high  hope  that  as 
he  rose  in  life  he  would  fill  respectably  his  father's  place  ;  and  I 
have  seen  the  same  lad  proud  and  stout-hearted,  and  far  from 
righteousness;  the  advocate  of  infidel  sentiment  and  vicious  habits, 
and  profligate  manners,  pressing  his  way  down  to  that  death 
spoken  of  in  the  text  as  the  end  of  these  things.  And  I  have  seen 
his  parent's  heart  more  grieved  at  some  act  of  his  conduct  than 
he  would  have  been  to  be  called  to  follow  his  corpse  to  the  grave. 
O  it  is  awfully  foreboding  to  see  disappearing  all  the  good  impres- 
sions of  an  early  religious  education  ;  and  substituted  in  their 
place  the  revelling,  and  the  doubt,  and  the  indifference  to  holy 
things  that  so  often  marks  the  downward  course  to  death. 

5.  A  course  of  sin  ends  in  death  as  it  nourishes  the  unhallowed 
passions.  We  totally  and  fatally  mistake  man  when  we  forget  that 
he  is  born  depraved.  We  are  not  to  suppose,  and  shall  be  fatally 
disappointed  if  we  do,  that  our  children  are  in  point  of  character 
that  clean  white  paper  on  which  any  impression  we  please  can  be 
made  with  equal  ease  and  certainty.  No  they  have  a  bad  moral 
character  before  we  can  well  reach  them.  Hence  our  early  busi- 
ness is  to  eradicate  the  wrong,  as  well  as  implant  the  right.  If 
this  is  not  early  done,  and  we  cannot  do  it  without  God,  these  evil 
passions  are  already  to  be  nurtued  and  matured.  Hence  a  life  of 
unregeneracy  is  the  whole  of  it  a  nursery  in  which  these  vile 
plants  are  watered  and  reared,  and  bring  forth  their  evil  fruits,  the 
ripening  of  which  is  death.     Men    grow  worse  day  by   day  while 


THE    christian's   REVIEW.  267 

they  remain  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  under  the  bonds  of  ini- 
quity. Their  position  is  never  stationary,  but  their  course  down- 
Avard,  downward,  downward  toward  the  blackness  of  darkness  for 
ever. 

Finally  a  course  of  sin  tends  to  death  as  it  offers  constant  pro- 
vocation of  the  Spirit  ^f  God.  On  the  operations  of  his  Spirit  we 
are  dependent  for  life  and  salvation.  There  is  no  amount  of  means, 
or  force  of  human  eloquence,  or  impetus  of  natural  resolution  that 
can  arrest  the  course  of  sin.  Men  will  not  try  to  stop  themselves, 
nor  allow  themselves  to  be  stayed  in  their  course  by  any  human 
power.  Hence  our  only  hope  is  that  God  will  make  them  willing 
in  the  day  of  his  power.  But  every  act  of  sin  is  resistance  made 
to  the  efforts  of  his  mercy  and  the  influences  of  his  Spirit.  God 
strives  with  men.  He  did  so  in  the  old  world,  and  does  so  still. 
And  as  then,  so  now,  there  will  come  a  time  when  he  will  strive 
no  longer.  And  when  he  shall  so  determine  with  regard  to  any 
soul,  that  soul  is  lost.  The  decree  of  heaven  is,  "  He  is  joined  to 
idols,  let  him  alone." 

Thus  we  see  the  danger  that  all  God's  people  have  been  in,  and 
that  which  still  awaits  all  the  ungodly.  Their  course  is  down  to 
death.     The  end  of  these  things  is  death.     I  close  with  a  single 

REBIARK. 

Have  any  of  us  reason  to  hope  that  we  have  been  arrested  in  our 
mad  career  \  then  what  gratitude  and  what  holy  obedience  do  we 
owe  our  gracious  deliverer,  and  how  kind  and  faithful  should  we 
be  to  those  who  are  still  in  all  the  danger  that  we  once  were.  And 
as  was  the  case  with  us  they  are  ignorant  of  their  danger,  and  are 
not  willing  to  be  alarmed,  and  esteem  it  unkind  that  we  concern 
ourselves  with  them.  But  all  this  alters  not  our  duty.  If  we 
saw  one  asleep  in  a  burning  building,  and  he  knew  not  his  danger, 
and  did  not  wish  to  know,  and  would  esteem  it  unkind  should  we 
try  to  wake  him,  still  we  should  not  stop,  but  snatch  him  if  possi- 
ble from  his  perilous  condition.  And  all  to  save  his  life  only. 
Should  we  not  then  take  greater  pains  still  to  save  the  soul,  and 
do  it  at  more  hazard,  and  more  expense,  and  inward  assurance  that 
our  kindness  would  be  repaid  with  wrath. 


SERMON     LXIV. 

THE  INFALLIBLE  COMPARISON. 

PROVERBS    XII.    26. 
The  righteous  is  more  excellent  than  his  neighbor. 

While  the  term  righteous  is  so  frequently  used  in  the  Bible,  to 
designate  the  good  man,  we  infer,  without  the  danger  of  mistake, 
that  the  good  man  will  be  honest.  A  false  or  fraudulent  believer, 
is  a  character  not  recognized  in  the  volume  of  inspiration.  That 
religion  which  saves  the  soul,  is  sure  to  render  us  good  and  use- 
ful citizens  of  the  present  world,  and  any  expectation  of  eternal 
life,  when  this  first  effect  of  piety  is  not  produced,  is  vain.  The 
text  implies  a  fact  which  we  have  all  observed,  that  the  righteous 
are  scarce.  When  you  find  a  good  man,  it  is  almost  certain  that 
his  neighbor  is  wicked.  This  would  not  be  the  case,  were  the 
pious  as  numerous  as  the  men  of  opposite  character.  While  a 
comparison  is  drawn  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  the 
favorable  conclusion  is  not  built  upon  any  thing  that  relates  to 
birth,  or  blood,  or  wealth.  In  the  esteem  of  God,  there  is  no  va- 
lue in  these  external  things.  Man  looketh  on  these  outward  ap- 
pearances, but  God  looketh  on  the  heart.  That  superior  excellence 
which  he  esteems,  has  its  origin  in  the  temper  of  the  heart.  Hence 
the  comparison  should  neither  render  the  one  proud,  nor  mortify 
the  other.  It  should  make  the  believer  humble  and  thankful,  and 
produce  awakening  and  conviction  in  the  mind  of  the  sinner.  If 
God  has  made  us  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power,  it  becomes  us 
to  remember  for  ever  the  rock  from  whence  we  were  hewn,  and 
the  hole  of  the  pit  from  whence  we  were  digged.  If  we  are  asso- 
ciated with  the  righteous,  the  praise  of  changing  our  state,  and 
altering  our  condition,  belongs  to  Him  who  produced  the  change. 
By  nature  men  are  all  the  degenerate  plants  of  a  strange  vine, 
born  the  enemies  of  God,  and  the  heirs  of  perdition,  and  left  to  act 
out  our  own  temper,  we  should  all  carry  with  us  to  the  grave  the 
same  odious  character,  and  die  the  heirs  of  the  same  fearful  des- 
tiny as  others.  Hoping  then,  neither  to  awaken  pride  or  envy, 
but  gratitude  and  conviction,  I  proceed  to  compare  the  pious  man, 
with  the  man  unsanctified.  "  The  righteous  is  more  excellent  than 
his  neighbor :" 


THE    INFALLIBLE    COMPARISON.  '  269 

I.  As  he  is  possessed  of  a  better  temper,  adopts  better  maxims,  and 
acts  from  better  motives.  By  the  temper  of  the  heart,  we  mean  that 
disposition,  taste,  or  views,  which  generates  all  its  moral  actions, 
and  gives  them  their  character.  We  are  born  with  evil  tempers, 
and  retain  till  the  moment  of  the  new  birth,  a  taste,  a  relish,  a  bi;is, 
a  propensity,  to  what  is  morally  wrong,  to  what  God  hates  and 
forbids.  While  this  temper  remains,  disobedience  is  more  plea- 
sant than  duty.  A  selfish,  contracted,  unpitying,  unforgiving,  and 
unrelenting  disposition  is  drawn  out  in  every  moral  action.  The 
temper  that  lives  within,  reigns  without,  colors  every  deed,  writes 
approved  or  disapproved  upon  every  exertion  that  partakes  of  a 
moral  character. 

The  work  of  grace  begins  with  a  change  in  this  native  bias  of 
the  soul.  It  becomes  essentially  altered  so  as  to  be  pleased  with 
that  which  displeased  before,  and  disgusted  with  that  which  be- 
fore gave  pleasure.  Hence  the  heart  of  the  good  man  is  inclined 
to  order,  mercy,  justice,  truth,  honesty,  holiness,  and  happiness. 
The  feelings  now  generated  are  in  unison  with  God,  and  with  all 
holy  beings. 

Hence  originate  a  set  of  principles  or  maxims,  diametrically  op- 
posite to  those  which  govern  the  unrenewed  man.  Good  men 
will  naturally  pursue  a  course  that  will  gratify  the  temper  of  the 
heart.  Hence  the  maxims  or  principles  by  which  the  life  shall  be 
governed,  will  correspond  to  the  temper  which  the  grace  of  God 
has  generated.  It  was  the  maxim  of  the  unregenerate  man,  that 
the  promotion  of  his  own  interest,  was  a  good  to  be  pursued,  al- 
though it  might  greatly  injure  the  Church  or  the  world;  now,  a 
smaller  private  good  must  yield  to  a  greater  public  interest.  Re- 
venge was  sweeter  than  forgiveness;  now,  forgiveness  is  an  exer- 
cise that  gives  pleasure,  while  revenge  gives  pain.  Retaliation 
appeared  righteous  and  desirable,  but  is  now  a  principle  to  the 
last  degree  odious  and  abominable.  A  deed  of  wrong,  not  dis- 
covered, was  viewed  as  comparatively  innocent,  but  a  holy  temper 
sees  in  sin,  however  secretly  done,  all  the  hatefulness  that  could 
attach  to  it  when  made  public.  It  was  felt  that  the  thino^s  unseen 
are  worthless,  and  that  the  present  world  has  charms  that  belong 
to  no  other  ;  but  when  sanctified,  faith  discovers  better  treasures 
ill  the  heavens  than  earth  can  afford.  And  thus  every  maxim  that 
governed  the  life  was  inverted,  when  the  heart  was  sanctified. 

And  this  change  in  the  temper,  and  in  the  principles  of  action, 
have  led  to  an  entire  new  set  of  motives.  The  good  man  loves 
God  and  his  kingdom,  and  loves  his  fellow-men,  and   now  often 


270  THE    INFALLIBLE    COMPARISON. 

acts  against  his  own  interest,  when  he  can  promote  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  good  of  others.  The  things  that  used  to  move  him 
in  opposition  to  his  own  conscience,  have  now  lost  their  influence. 
He  considers  it  more  important  lo  act  so  as  to  approve  of  himself, 
than  to  promote  his  own  interest.  To  be  poor,  and  low,  and  of 
little  credit,  is  of  smaller  moment  than  to  be  miserable  when  he 
retires  to  think. 

Hence  we  can  place  in  the  man  of  piety  more  confidence,  can 
feel  a  greater  security  that  he  will  not,  if  occasion  require,  injure 
and  betray  us,  than  in  his  neighbor.  If  we  need  his  aid,  and  have 
nothing  to  pay,  if  we  are  in  his  power,  and  have  no  escape,  if  our 
property  or  life  is  in  his  hand,  there  is  smaller  danger  than  when 
there  is  none  but  an  unsanctified  temper  and  selfish  motives 
Hence  "  the  righteous  is  more  excellent  than  his  neighbor." 

n.  He  sets  a  better  example,  and  exerts  a  better  influence.  Every 
man's  life  will  correspond  to  the  temper  of  his  heart,  and  the 
maxims  and  motives  that  govern  him.  Hence,  by  their  fruits  ye 
shall  know  them.  Men  do  not  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of 
thistles.  It  never  happened  that  there  was  one  principle  in  the 
heart,  and  another  acted  out  in  the  life.  When  the  whole  con- 
duct is  minutely  examined,  every  man  is  what  he  appears  to  be. 
The  good  man  not  only  sets  an  example  of  industry,  sobriety,  hon- 
esty, and  generosity,  which  perhaps  he  did  before  his  heart  was 
sanctified,  but  is  conscientious,  humble,  watchful,  prayerful,  bene- 
volent, and  heavenly-minded.  Whatever  property  of  nature  was 
excellent  in  him  before  his  conversion,  is  now  still  more  conspicu- 
ous, while  many  things  in  him  are  entirely  new. 

Grace  improves  tlie  properties  which  it  does  not  regenerate. 
If  naturally  honest,  he  will  now  be  more  scrupulous  ;  if  hospitable, 
or  liberal,  or  modest,  or  industrious,  he  will  now  exhibit  advance- 
ment in  all  these  valuable  endowments.  His  example  in  many 
points  will  be  new  and  valuable,  and  worthy  of  imitation.  Hence 
said  the  Savior,  "  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world  ;  a  city  set  on  a 
hill  cannot  be  hid."  And  again,  "Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth." 
To  the  full  extent  of  his  circle,  his  conduct  has  a  salutary  influ- 
ence on  all  around  him,  restrains  vice,  enlightens  the  ignorant, 
and  gives  countenance  to  virtue. 

Hence  the  itifluence  he  exerts  is  salutary,  and  deservedly  enrols 
him  among  the  world's  benefactors,  among  the  friends  of  God  and 
of  men.  The  poisoning  influence  of  sin,  whose  tendency  is  to 
pollute  and  destroy,  finds  an  antidote  in  the  example  of  God's  peo- 


THE    INFALLIBLE    COMPARISON.  271 

pie,  else  this  world  would  verge  rapidly  to  ruin.  Show  me  a  dis- 
trict where  there  is  no  piety,  and  I  will  show  you  the  effects  of 
vice,  in  the  prostration  of  every  thing  that  is  excellent. 

And  the  good  man  exerts  an  influence,  when  he  neither  speaks 
nor  acts.  If  his  conversation  is  such  as  becomes  godliness,  the 
world  takes  knowledge  of  him  that  he  has  been  with  Jesus.  And 
men  of  very  loose  morals,  and  whose  consciences  are  fearfully  dis- 
eased, will  act  differently,  in  any  given  circumstances,  from  what 
otherwise  they  would,  because  they  know  how  the  good  man  in 
similar  circumstances,  would  act.  Thus  the  man  of  godliness,  the 
profession  of  whose  lips,  and  the  tenor  of  whose  life  are  coinci- 
dent, will  exert  a  salutary  influence  even  when  he  rests  upon  his 
bed.  He  may  be  as  retired  as  he  pleases,  but  a  pattern  will  be 
taken  of  his  life,  and  it  will  be  handed  round  as  a  model  after  which 
men  may  form  their  characters,  and  shape  the  tenor  of  their  life. 
But  his  ungodly  neighbor  exerts  no  such  influence.  At  the  best, 
he  can  boast  of  nothing  more  than  a  scanty  morality,  whose  high- 
est motive  is  self-love,  and  his  most  splendid  actions  honesty,  so- 
briety, hospitality,  and  generosity. 

III.  He  is  more  excellent,  inasmuch  as  he  is  the  subject  of  more  ho- 
norable alliatices.  As  there  exists,  between  all  the  parts  of  God's 
holy  kingdom,  a  close  and  endearing  relationship,  so  each  indivi- 
dual believer  is  united  to  God  and  to  all  holy  beings  by  the  best  of 
all  ties,  that  of  a  kindred  affection.  Every  believer  is  permitted 
to  address  God  as  his  father,  and  to  approach  him  with  the  confi- 
dence Avhich  that  title  implies,  while  Christ  is  spoken  of  as  his 
elder  brother.  He  is  attached  to  the  family  of  heaven,  to  angels, 
and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and  will  ever  find  a 
friend  and  brother  in  every  holy  being.  And  the  covenant  that 
binds  the  believer  to  God  is  everlasting.  He  never  will  be  permit- 
ted to  act  so  as  to  forget  the  privileges  of  that  holy  alliance  that 
binds  him  to  the  whole  family  of  pure  beings. 

Now  as  among  men  it  uniformly  attaches  respectability  and 
worth  to  one  who  can  boast  of  high  and  honorable  alliances,  so  the 
believer  is  entitled  to  whatever  excellence  may  accrue  to  him  from 
his  union  to  the  Creator,  the  Redeemer,  and  the  Sanctifier,  and  to 
the  members  of  that  holy  family  who  shall  at  last  gather  about  the 
throne  and  be  seated  at  the  supper  of  the  Lamb.  It  is  impossible 
not  to  derive  worth,  and  honor,  and  beauty,  from  an  intercourse  so 
free,  and  a  sympathy  so  endearing  as  that  which  is  the  happy  des- 
tiny of  the  believer. 


272  THE    INFALLIBLE    COMPARISON. 

Now  the  unbeliever,  however  high  may  be  his  views  of  hiinscf, 
and  however  shielded  he  may  be  in  his  own  self-importance,  and 
self-esteem,  and  self-respect,  can  boast  of  no  such  high  and  holy 
alliances.  Said  our  Lord  to  a  company  of  unbelievers,  and  through 
them  to  all  others.  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts 
of  your  father  ye  will  do.  He  was  a  murderer  from  the  beginning. 
Thus  the  sinner  may  claim  his  descent  or  rather  may  avow  his 
adoption  by  a  father  who  has  lost  his  character  with  heaven,  and 
has  sunk  to  unspeakable  ignominy,  and  must  own  as  his  brethren 
none  but  the  outcasts  of  the  moral  world. 

True,  God  was  his  Creator,  and  will  ever  have  a  right  to  his  ser 
vice,  but  he  has  sold  himself  to  commit  iniquity,  and  has  become 
the  servant  of  sin  ;  has  forfeited  all  relationship  to  heaven  and  to 
all  holy  beings,  and  can  derive  no  honor  from  any  single  alliance 
by  which  he  is  bound.  The  only  covenant  that  holds  him  is  a 
covenant  with  death,  and  from  this  union  there  attaches  nothing 
to  him  but  disgrace  and  infamy. 

IV.  He  is  more  excellent,  inmrnuch  as  he  has  better  enjoyments.  He 
has  a  relish  for  higher  pleasures.  The  unsanctified  man  extends 
his  views  to  no  objects  but  such  as  are  seen  and  temporal.  His 
best  treasures  are  all  perishable  objects,  objects  which  moths  can 
eat,  and  rust  corrupt,  and  thieves  plunder.  There  is  not  an  object 
on  which  he  has  set  his  heart  that  will  be  within  his  reach  the  first 
moment  when  he  has  quit  the  body,  not  one  that  will  survive  the 
ruins  of  the  last  day.  And  the  objects  he  loves  are  as  poor  as 
they  are  perishing.  While  they  abide  they  can  furnish  to  their 
adorer  but  a  poor,  and  scanty,  and  mean,  and  dying  pleasure.  He 
feels  amid  their  highest  enjoyments  a  distressing  deficiency  of 
happiness,  and  is  a  stranger  to  what  deserves  the  name  of  enjoy- 
ment. 

But  the  good  man  sets  his  heart  on  objects  which  are,  in  their 
n-itnre,  grand  and  imperishable.  These  objects  are  God  and  his 
kino-dom.  And  the  joy  they  yield  him  is  solid  and  substantial. 
They  lie  beyond  the  influence  of  vicissitude,  are  of  an  unchanging 
nature,  and  will  be  equally  within  his  reach  when  he  is  dead  as 
while  living.  Hence  he  is  said  to  have  a  joy  with  which  the  stran- 
ger intermeddleth  not.  As  neither  moth,  nor  rust,  nor  robber  can 
touch  his  treasures,  so  nothing  can  diminish  the  joy  they  yield 
him.  Hence  he  is  prepared  to  meet,  without  horror  or  despair, 
those  calamities  which  ruin,  for  ever,  the  man  who  has  deposited 
all  his  treasures  on  earth.     He  can  say:    "Although   the   fig   tree 


THE    INFALLIBLE    COMPARISON.  273 

shali  not  blossom,  neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vine  ;  the  labor  of 
the  olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat ;  the  flock 
shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd  in  the 
stalls,  yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my 
salvation."  "  When  flesh  and  heart  fail  him,  God  is  the  streng-tli 
of  his  heart,  and  his  portion  for  ever."  And  what  a  worth  do  such 
rich  enjoyments  attach  to  their  possessor  !  His  vast  capacity  of 
happiness  is  partially  filled.  He  not  only  lasts,  but  lives — and  the 
life  he  lives  bears  some  relation  to  the  blessedness  of  heaven. 
Hence  the  righteous  is  more  excellent  than  his  neighbor. 

V.  He  entertains  richer  hopes.  Give  the  impenitent  all  they  hope 
for,  and  their  enjoyments  would  be  poor.  They  can  hope  for  no 
enjoyments,  entirely  distinct  in  their  nature,  from  any  they  have 
ever  felt.  Hence  their  richest  hopes,  even  the  heaven  they  hope 
for,  extends  to  no  other  than  perishing  and  unsatisfying  pleasures. 
Give  them  even  the  full  extent  of  their  wishes,  give  them  the  best 
objects,  and  all  the  objects  they  have  ever  loved,  and  let  the  pos- 
session be  permanent,  and  still  they  would  necessarily  be  poor. 
Their  affections  have  never  extended  to  any  but  material  objects, 
and  of  course  to  none  but  dying  objects. 

But  the  good  man,  while  he  enjoys  at  present  better  pleasures 
than  any  other,  entertains  also  richer  hopes.  The  things  unseen 
attract  his  gaze,  and  he  counts  among  his  choicest  treasures  the 
blessings  that  are  in  reserve  for  him  beyond  the  grave.  He  would 
feel  himself  to  be  poor  if  he  could  fear  that  he  were  enjoying  his 
best  things  now.  He  believes,  and  his  "faith  is  the  substance  of 
things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen."  lie  is  so  com- 
forted by  the  expectation  of  future  good,  that  he  can  endure  the 
loss  of  all  those  good  things  on  which  the  impenitent  place  their 
supreme  affections.  Hence,  in  the  present  world,  he  becomes  a 
pilgrim  and  a  stranger,  and  seeks  a  city  to  come,  wiiich  hath 
foundation,  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God.  He  is  not  depend- 
ant on  this  poor  world  for  his  enjoyments,  nor  will  be  mined  when 
all  its  treasures  shall  be  consumed,  in  the  conflagration  of  the  last 
day.  His  hopes,  even  in  the  darkest  hour,  enter  within  the  veil, 
and  he  there  discovers  resources  of  blessedness  that  can  never  be 
exhausted. 

VI.  The  righteous  is  better  than  his  neighbor^  inasmuch  as  he  is  the 
heir  of  a  better  destiny.  The  heirs  of  glory  and  the  children  of 
wrath  resemble  each  other  more  now  than  they  ever   will   hereaf- 

voL,  11.  35 


2/4  THE    INFALLIBLE    COMPARISON. 

ter.  When  grace  is  first  implanted,  the  difference  between  the 
good  man  and  the  man  unrenewed,  is  seemingly  very  small. 
From  that  moment  they'  diverge  for  ever.  Still,  in  the  pre- 
sent life,  the  difference  will  always  be  comparatively  small 
But  when  the  Christian  shall  heir  his  crown  of  glory,  and  shall  be 
made  a  king  and  a  priest  to  God  and  to  the  Lamb  for  ever,  the 
difference  between  him  and  the  lost  sinner  will  be  infinitely  widen- 
ed. One^  it  is  said,  shall  come  forth  to  everlasting  life,  and  the 
other  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt.  The  one  is  to  have  his 
part  with  devils,  and  the  other  is  to  live,  and  reign,  and  rejoice 
with  angels.  One  is  to  display  in  his  eternal  ruin  the  justice  of  a 
sin-avenging  God,  while  the  other  is  to  stand  in  heaven  an  imper- 
ishable monument  of  redeeming  grace.  On  the  one  God  will 
frown  forever,  while  on  the  other  he  will  for  ever  smile.  The  one 
will  be  removed  from  his  presence,  and  must  have  his  everlasting 
abode  in  perdition,  while  the  other  will  be  permitted  to  see  his 
face  without  a  veil,  and  beholding  as  in  a  glass  his  glory,  will  be 
changed  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory. 

If,  then,  the  good  man  does  not  at  present  appear  to  any  very 
great  advantage,  there  comes  a  day  when  he  will.  If  his  present 
deformities  conceal  his  noble  birth,  and  his  present  rags  and 
poverty  hide  his  high  and  holy  destiny,  still  he  will  one  day  break 
from  this  disguise,  and  will  be  clothed  with  the  honor  and  the 
attire  of  a  prince,  and  live  and  reign  with  Christ  for  ever. 

If  at  present  the  righteous  is  more  excellent  than  his  neighbor, 
there  will  come  a  day  when  his  superior  excellence  will  be  seen 
and  acknowledged  by  all  beings,  in  all  worlds.  There  will  come 
a  moment  when  every  deformity  will  forsake  him,  when  every 
blemish  will  be  bleached,  when  every  excellence  of  character  will 
be  illustrated,  when  he  will  awake  in  the  likeness  of  his  Lord,  and 
wear  his  beauties  for  ever.  A  moment  will  arrive  when  such  will 
be  his  character,  and  such  his  condition,  that  angela  will  respect 
him,  and  heaven  do  him  honor. 


1.  If  this  subject  should  render  the  believer  proudy  he  has  entirely 
mistaken  its  design.  If  he  has  any  excellence  of  character,  it  is  the 
gift  of  God  ;  or  if  he  has  reached  any  state  of  joy,  entertains  any 
exalted  hopes,  sustains  any  honorable  relationship,  or  is  the  heir 
of  any  high  and  holy  destiny,  it  is  all  of  grace.  When  heaven  un- 
dertook to  save  him,  he  was  a  beggar  and  a  wretch.  And  he  is 
still  the  degenerate  plant  of  a  strange  vine,  and   should  for  ever 


THE    INFALLIBLE    COMPARISON.  275 

remember  the  rock  from  whence  he  was  fiewn,  and  the  hoJe  of  the 
pit  from  whence  he  was  digged.  If  we  are  believers,  the  subject 
should  make  us  thankful,  but  can  never  render  us  proud.  We  are 
conscious  of  having  been  totally  deformed,  and  must  know  that 
there  remains  still  in  the  heart  a  mass  of  moral  pollution,  exposing 
us  to  ruin,  and  rendering  us  worthy  to  be  sent  into  eternal 
exile  from  the  family  of  God.  And,  if  one  is  finally  saved,  he  is 
to  be  saved  as  a  rebel,  and  is  to  be  made  an  eternal  monument  of 
the  power  and  grace  of  God,  which  can  make  a  beggar  rich,  and 
a  wretch  happy.  And  the  believer,  although  one  day  he  shall  be 
like  his  master,  will  carry  with  him,  through  all  the  years  of  hea- 
ven, a  deep  and  humiliating  sense  of  his  own  native  defilements, 
and  will  owe  his  redemption  to  the  pardoning  mercy  of  God. 

2.  If  this  subject  should  render  the  sinner  envious,  a?id dispose  him 
to  censoriousness  and  detraction  toward  the  character  which  thus  out- 
shines his  own,  this,  too,  is  the  very  opposite  of  the  effect  it  should  pro- 
duce. It  should  alarm  him  to  find  that  he  possesses  deformity  of 
moral  character,  but  it  should  be  his  joy  that  some  of  his  fellow- 
men  have  put  off,  in  a  measure,  this  deformity,  and  have  been 
minded  to  favor  with  God  and  with  heaven.  It  is  a  blessing  to 
the  world  that  God  has  sanctified  some  of  its  polluted  population, 
else  this  world  would  be  in  a  double  and  in  a  fearful  sense,  the 
valley  of  death.  God  would  not  hold  that  sun  in  its  orbit,  nor 
would  he  water  this  earth  with  his  showers,  did  he,  in  his  survey 
of  its  inhabitants,  see  nothing  but  moral  pollution.  Believers  are 
the  salt  of  the  earth — are  an  honor  to  their  friends,  and  a  blessing 
to  their  enemies.  They  should  be  honored  because  Christ  honors 
them  ;  should  be  loved  because  he  loves  them ;  and  should  be 
treated  kindly,  because  it  is  the  purpose  and  the  promise  of  God 
that  they  shall  be  happy. 


SERMON   LXVI. 

KEPT  OF  GOD. 

DEUTERONOMY   XXXIH.  25. 
Thy  shoes  shall  be  iron  and  brass  ;  and  as  tliy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength  be. 

This  is  a  part  of  that  blessing  which  Moses,  the  servant  of  the 
Lord,  at  the  close  of  life,  pronounced  upon  the  tribe  of  Asher. 
Tliat  tribe  had  their  inheritance  in  the  north-western  corner  of 
Palestine,  a  hilly  country,  bordering  upon  the  Mediterranean,  and 
received  a  blessing,  as  did  all  the  other  tribes,  suited  to  the  part  it 
was  to  act,  and  the  station  it  was  to  fill  among  the  thousands  of 
Isrnel. 

As  the  very  name  signifies  a  blessing,  so  Moses  predicted  to 
him  a  numerous  increase  ;  "  Asher  shall  be  blessed  with  children  ;" 
the  permanent  friendship  of  the  other  tribes.  "  Let  him  be  accept- 
able to  his  brethren;"  and,  it  is  added,  "Let  him  dip  his  foot  in 
oil  ;"  to  indicate,  probably,  that  his  portion  of  the  land  of  promise 
should  abound  in  the  oil  of  olives. 

When  it  is  added,  "Thy  shoes  shall  be  iron  and  brass,"  some 
have  supposed  that  Moses  had  allusion  to  the  vast  mines  of  iron 
and  brass  which  abounded  in  this  portion  of  the  land  of  promise, 
and  were  thus  like  shoes  under  their  feet.  This  allusion,  however, 
seems  not  so  natural,  as  to  suppose  the  prediction  to  mean,  That 
as  they  were  to  have  a  mountainous  country,  were  to  travel  in 
rough  roads,  climb  the  craggy  precipice,  and  stand  upon  the  slip- 
pery eminence,  so  they  should  be  shod  accordingly;  their  shoes 
sliould  be  iron  and  brass,  meaning  that  they  should  be  fitted  for 
tlieir  allotment.  If  this  be  the  meaning,  the  same  idea  is  repeated 
ii)  tlie  last  clause,  "  As  thy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength  be  ;" — as 
thy  days  thy  strength. 

As  no  Scripture  is  of.  private  interpretation,  the  text  may  be  ap- 
pli'.'d  generally  to  the  Lord's  people,  and  contains  a  promise  tiiat 
they  shall  be  fitted  for  every  allotment  of  Providence  ;  their  feet 
s'liill  be  shod  with  the  preparation  of  the  gospel.  The  text  has 
been  thus  applied  in  all  ages  of  the  Christian  Church.  SeUlom 
has  the  believer  been  brought  into  perplexity  when  he  has  not  giv- 


KEPT    OF    GOD.  271 

en  utterance  to  this  prayer,  "  As  my  day  is  so  let  my  strength  be." 
And  the  history  of  the  Church  abundantly  assures  us  that  God 
has  heard  that  prayer,  and  has  granted  his  people  timely  strength. 
This  delightful  thought  I  shall  endeavor  to  illustrate. 

1.  If  God  prosper  his  people  he  will  still  keep  them  humble. 
Occasionally  he  prospers  them  in  worldly  things.  He  permits 
them  to  gain  wealth,  and  influence,  and  places  them  in  circumstan- 
ces of  ease  and  independence.  This  appears  to  have  been  the 
case  with  Job,  with  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  with  Joseph, 
and  Solomon,  and  David,  and  with  others  more  or  less  in  every 
age  of  the  Christian  Church.  It  is,  however,  a  small  minority  of 
the  family  of  believers  who  have  such  an  allotment.  God  does 
not  seem  to  have  viewed  it  as  the  safest  path  to  heaven.  Most  of 
his  people  are  poor,  and  many  of  them  despised  in  the  present 
world,  that  thus  they  may  have  their  minds  supremely  occupied 
with  the  concerns  of  a  better  life. 

But  when  God  prospers  his  people  he  provides  for  their  safety. 
He  ever  plants  some  thorn  in  the  flesh,  sends  some  messenger  of 
Satan  to  buffet  them,  that  thus  they  may  be  kept  mindful  that  the 
present  life  is  not  their  home,  nor  the  present  enjoyments  their 
heaven.  Job,  lest  he  should  be  too  much  elevated,  must  come 
down  from  his  height  and  lay  in  ashes,  receive  the  reproaches  of 
his  wife  and  his  servants,  and  must  lose  all  his  children.  Abra- 
ham must  have  in  his  family  a  wild  Ishmael,  and  Isaac  a  profane 
Esau.  Jacob  must  mourn  the  fate  of  his  idolized  Joseph,  and 
must  be  pained  by  the  envy  and  treachery  of  his  other  children. 
David  must  witness  murder  and  rebellion  in  his  own  family,  and 
must  hear  it  said  that  war  should  not  depart  from  his  house.  He 
must  bury  his  Absalom,  and  must  be  forbidden  the  honor  of  build- 
ing the  house  of  the  Lord.  Solomon  must  find  a  rottenness  and  a 
plague  in  every  terrestrial  enjoyment,  and  must  write  "vanity"  on 
every  thing  that  is  done  under  the  sun.  And  from  that  day  to  this, 
every  good  man  who  has  been  greatly  prospered,  has  also  been  at 
some  period  of  his  life  greatly  humbled,  or  perhaps  through  the 
whole  course  of  his  elevation  has  experienced  some  mortifying  and 
painful  alloy,  which  like  a  millstone,  bore  him  down  from  his  gid- 
dy and  dangerous  eminence.  An  unpolished  partner,  or  a  vicious 
son,  or  a  sickly  constitution,  or  some  other  unpropitious  circum- 
stance, has  ever  preyed  upon  the  spirits  of  the  prosperous  believ 
er.  And  these  mixtures  of  bitter  ingredients  in  his  cup  of  bless- 
ings, have  kept  him  from  selling  his  birthright  for  the  perishing 
and  contemptible  objects  of  sense.     He  was  led  by  these  trials  to 


278  KEPT    OF    GOD. 

become  sick  of  comforts  so  poor  and  so  coarse,  and  to  keep  his 
mind  fixed  on  heavenly  things.  Thus  his  strength  was  made 
equal  to  his  daJ^  When  he  came  to  die,  he  would  quit  the  world 
without  regret.  He  had  found  that  every  earthly  sweet  had  its 
poison,  and  was  prepared  to  cast  an  eye  of  faith  into  that  world 
where  its  pleasures  are  unmixed.  We  have  in  the  history  of  Lot 
a  striking  example  of  God's  faithfulness  to  his  promise.  He  chose 
a  place  of  prosperous  wickedness  as  his  residence,  but  God  di- 
rected that  he  should  come  out  naked  from  his  guilty  retreat.  Lot 
might  have  been  ruined  if  Sodom  had  not  been  burned.  But  when 
he  saw  all  his  treasures  and  all  his  family  perishing  in  the  flames, 
it  waked  him  from  his  worldly  reveries,  and  brought  him  back  to 
duty  and  to  God.  The  whole  of  this  amazing  transaction  said  to 
Lot,  in  a  language  which  he  could  not  mistake,  "  As  thy  days,  so 
shall  thy  strength  be."  No  worldly  prosperity  shall  be  able  to 
subdue  the  fire  of  holy  love  that  I  have  enkindled  in  your  heart, 
or  break  the  everlasting  covenant  that  binds  my  heart  to  your  bet- 
ter interests.     Thus  God's  people  are  humble. 

2.  If  God  afflict  his  people,  he  will  bestow  those  comforts 
which  will  keep  them  happy,  and  make  them  thankful.  Hope  is  a 
grace  which  God  is  as  much  resolved  to  cherish  in  his  people  as 
humility.  Hence,  if  he  pain  them,  he  is  sure  to  preserve  them  from 
despair.  While  there  is  the  deep  conviction  that  his  strokes  are 
fewer  than  their  crimes,  and  lighter  than  their  guilt,  there  is  too 
clear  discovery  of  a  parental  hand  which  wields  the  rod,  and  a  pa- 
rental eye  which  smiles  through  every  cloud  that  covers  them. 

Perhaps  their  lot  is  poverty.  They  are  pressed  all  their  days  by 
the  iron  hand  of  indigence.  At  times  they  know  not  how  their 
wants  are  ever  to  be  supplied,  how  they  shall  obtain  their  bread 
and  their  raiment.  There  is  consequent  upon  thair  poverty  a  loss 
of  influence,  and  in  the  view  of  men  a  degradation  of  character 
that  prevents  their  usefulness,  and  contracts  their  benevolent  exer- 
tions. But  the  promise  is  that  their  strength  shall  correspond  to 
their  day — hence,  in  fulfilling  this  promise,  God  will  keep  them 
from  all  the  moral  evils  incident  to  a  state  of  penury.  God  will 
make  them  so  afraid  of  sin  as  to  keep  them  from  coveting  the  gains 
of  dishonesty.  He  will  adapt  their  appetite  to  the  coarsenesss  of 
their  provisions.  He  will  give  them  to  see  his  hand  in  the  supply 
of  their  wants.  Their  faith  will  be  strengthened  by  their  daily  ex- 
perience, and  they  will  find  it  as  pleasant  to  receive  their  daily 
bread  at  the  hand  of  God,  as  to  be  able  to  draw  upon  the  treasury 
of  their  own.      They   are  exonerated   from    those    cares   which 


KEPT   OF    GOD.  279 

would  Otherwise  intrude  upon  their  seasons  of  devotion,  and  re- 
tard the  growth  of  grace.  They  will  not  be  permitted  to  doubt 
the  superintendence  of  Divine  Providence,  because  God  permits 
his  children  to  be  poor.  Their  estimation  of  heaven  will  increase 
as  they  find  that  they  are  to  have  but  few  enjoyments  here.  At 
death  there  will  be  but  few  ties  to  be  sundered.  Their  interest  is 
all  above.  Thus  as  their  day  is  so  is  their  strength.  And  the  case 
I  have  now  described  is  not  rare.  Thus  many  a  child  of  poverty, 
while  to  others  he  may  seem  wretched,  is  passing  on  to  heaven,  shod 
with  iron  and  brass,  and  strong  to  pursue  his  pilgrimage.  He  will 
bring  to  the  employments  of  heaven  a  nobler  mind,  and  to  its  en- 
joyments a  more  enlarged  capacity  than  many,  who  may  think  his 
lot  hard,  and  his  life  a  burden. 

There  is  often  connected  with  poverty  a  scene  of  toil  and  endur- 
ance. The  pilgrimage  is  rough  and  unpleasant.  The  spirits  are 
jaded  with  the  fatigue  requisite  to  feed  and  clothe  the  dying  body. 
The  mind  is  in  such  instances  often  unfitted  for  its  heavenly  em- 
ployment. It  seems  grievous,  that  a  spirit  born  from  above  should 
be  retarded  in  its  homeward  course  by  cares  and  pains  too  mean 
for  its  powers.  But  the  promise  must  meet  this  case  too.  These 
toils  render  rest  more  sweet,  and  the  hope  of  an  endless  rest  in- 
valuably rich  and  sweet.  The  Sabbath  is  a  welcome  day  ;  and  the 
return  of  evening  brings  with  it  a  pleasure  to  which  the  idle  and 
the  voluptuous  and  independent  have  no  claim.  The  toils  of  the 
body  subdue  and  tame  the  unhallowed  passions  ;  and  we  have  seen 
often  the  strongest  confidence  in  God,  and  the  warmest  grati- 
tude, where  it  would  seem  the  prospect  must  be  profoundly  dark, 
and  the  enjoyments  few  and  small.  One  who  has  seen  the  old  pil- 
grim, covered  with  a  coarse  and  homely  garb,  and  rising  from  his 
scanty  meal,  to  pour  forth  his  praise  into  the  ear  of  his  Maker,  will 
never  have  a  doubt,  but  that  even  in  his  condition,  the  promise  of 
the  text  is  all  fulfilled.  He  toils  hard,  and  would  sometimes  faint 
in  his  course,  were  not  his  feet  covered  with  iron  and  brass,  and  his 
strength  equal  to  his  days. 

But  there  is  another  scene  in  which  it  would  seem  that  the  pro- 
mise fails.  Some  who  are  on  their  way  to  a  better  land,  are  af- 
flicted with  disease.  Weakness,  instead  of  strength,  would  seem 
to  be  their  characteristic  feature.  If  any  thing  escapes  them  but 
sighs  and  complaints,  it  seems  incongruous.  Life  is  filled  up  with 
pain  and  tears.  And  still  in  this  very  case,  the  promise  may  be 
verified.  One  may  be  weak  in  body,  and  yet  strong  in  the  Lord, 
and  in  the  power  of  his  might.     Patience  must  have  its  perfect 


280  KEPT    OF    GOD. 

work.  We  rise  as  high  in  the  scale  of  Christian  character,  when 
we  cheerfully  suffer  the  will  of  God,  as  when  we  laboriously  do  his 
will.  And  if  God  bestow  a  sut)rnissive  mind,  and  a  spirit  of  pa- 
tient endurance,  he  renders  our  strength  equal  to  our  day. 

When  the  affliction  is  not  personal,  but  falls  upon  our  family  and 
friends,  we  need,  as  much  as  in  any  other  case,  the  support  of  this 
promise,  and  may  expect  its  fulfilment.  Believers  have  often 
feared  that  they  should  not  be  willing  to  see  their  friends  die  ;  and 
have  looked  forward  to  the  parting  scene  with  a  fearful  and  hor- 
rid interest.  In  prospect,  their  own  dissolution  could  not  awaken 
a  more  agonizing  sensation.  Every  fibre  of  the  heart  was  tortured  ; 
and  every  earthly,  and  perhaps  every  heavenly  comfort,  lost  its 
sweetness.  But  when  the  trying  hour  came,  the  promise  was  ful- 
filled, and  the  heart  yielded  its  beloved  object  into  the  hands  of 
Him  who  was  still  more  beloved.  The  language  was,  "  The  Lord 
gave,  and  the  Lord  has  taken  away  ;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the 
Lord !"  Parents  have  parted  with  an  only  child,  without  uttering 
a  single  complaint.  I  recollect  a  statement  like  this:  A  father 
was  watching  by  the  sick  bed  of  an  only  son.  It  was  seen  that 
his  soul  was  troubled,  and  that  he  often  retired  to  pray,  but  ap- 
peared to  return  to  the  dying  bed  in  the  same  state  of  mental 
agony  as  when  he  retired.  At  length  there  was  seen  upon  his  face 
a  placid  smile,  and  on  being  asked  the  cause,  he  replied,  "  O  that 
I  had  just  so  dear  a  son  to  give  up  to  God  every  day  !"  Another, 
who  had  experienced  one  stroke  after  another,  till  it  was  feared  he 
would  go  into  distraction,  was  at  length  heard  to  say,  "The  Lord 
intends  to  have  my  whole  heart  and  he  shall."  But  cases  like  these 
are  not  uncommon.  God  has  only  to  smile  upon  his  people,  and 
they  are  too  happy  in  him  to  mind  any  other  friend.  They  see  in 
him  all  that  they  desire,  and  are  as  happy  as  they  could  wish.  The 
loss  of  earthly  friends  does  but  disengage  the  heart,  and  prepare 
it  to  engross  all  its  energies  in  loving  that  friend  which  sticketh 
closer  than  a  brother.  Thus  David  mourned  till  his  child  was 
dead  ;  he  then  wiped  away  his  tears,  and  sat  down  to  eat  bread. 
To  the  best  possible  advantage  have  we  seen  the  Christian  through 
the  tears  that  bedewed  the  corpse  of  a  beloved  friend.  It  was  then 
that  he  needed  the  presence  of  his  Master  and  his  Lord,  and  then 
his  promised  presence  was  granted.  He  had  no  complaint  to 
to  utter.  God  had  done  all  things  well.  He  had  bestowed  im- 
measurable mercies.  The  affliction  was  lighter  than  had  been  de- 
served.    God  might  take  what  he  had  given.     If  a  murmur  began 


KEPT    OF   GOD.  ^         28 1 

to  be  uttered,  this  sentiment  stilled  it :  "  It  is  of  the  Lord's  mer- 
cies that  we  are  not  consumed." 

And  when  the  good  man  approaches  the  period  of  his  own  dis- 
solution, he  finds  that  he  has  trusted  in  a  faithful  God,  who  will 
permit  nothing  to  fail  of  all  the  gracious  things  he  has  spoken. 
He  had  feared  the  hour  that  should  close  his  probation,  and  had 
been  through  much  of  his  life  subject  to  bondage,  through  fear  of 
death.  But  as  the  hour  comes,  the  world  which  had  allured  him 
loses  all  its  enchanting  power,  and  heaven  opens  him  an  avenue 
to  its  glories,  by  which  he  becomes  attracted  in  a  new  direction, 
and  can  without  a  sigh,  let  go  his  grasp  of  every  thing  below  the 
sun.  He  had  read,  "  When  thou  passest  through  the  waters, 
I  will  be  with  thee,  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow 
thee,"  and  he  now  finds  the  promise  true.  His  whole  life  had  been 
like  one  stormy  and  dismal  night,  but  the  clouds  break,  and  the 
darkness  is  dispersed,  as  he  approaches  the  haven  of  rest.  As 
flesh  and  heart  fail  him,  God  becomes  the  strength  of  his  heart  and 
his  portion  for  ever.  To  live  was  Christ,  but  to  die  is  gain.  The 
fact  is  beyond  controversy,  that  most  of  those  who  honor  Christ 
in  their  life,  enjoy  his  presence  in  death,  find  their  strength  equal 
their  conflict  in  that  last  and  dreadful  hour. 

But  there  sometimes  comes  a  trial  from  men  harder  to  bear 
than  the  pains  inflicted  by  the  immediate  hand  of  God.  And  this 
is  a  case  when  the  believer  needs  the  fulfilment  of  the  promises. 
He  may  not  feel  that  he  deserves  to  sufl^er  at  their  hands.  He 
may  be  conscious  of  wishing  to  promote  their  interest,  while  they 
injure  him  ;  and  may  feel  that  he  has  deserved  of  them  a  kinder 
treatment.  Perhaps  he  has  been  their  benefactor,  and  has  waked 
their  envy  by  attempts  to  promote  their  best  interest.  Here  there 
is  opportunity  for  the  exercise  of  the  best  affections,  meekness, 
patience,  submission,  and  a  spirit  of  forgiveness.  These  affections 
of  the  heart,  as  well  as  every  other  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  must  be  cul- 
tivated. And  it  cannot  admit  a  doubt  but  that  God  places  his 
people  in  those  circumstances  where  the  Christian  character  may 
be  matured  to  the  best  advantage,  in  which  circumstances  should 
they  not  be  prepared  for  their  trials,  they  would  but  dishonor  their 
Lord,  and  pierce  themselves  through  with  many  sorrows.  Hence 
the  triumphant  language  of  the  apostles,  in  an  hour  of  sore  and 
distressing  conflict,  "  We  are  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not  dis- 
tressed ;  we  are  perplexed,  but  not  in  despair  ;  persecuted  but  not 
forsaken  ;  cast  down,  but  not  destroyed  ;  always  bearing  about  in 
the  body  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus 

VOL.  II.  36 


2S2  KEPT    OF    GOD. 

might  be  made  manifest  in  our  mortal  flesh."  It  is  evident  that 
the  apostles  were  happy  in  the  midst  of  their  trials.  As  their 
days  were,  so  God  made  their  strength.  They  were  troubled, 
perplexed,  and  persecuted  ;  but,  they  were  not  distressed,  nor  for- 
saken, nor  in  despair,  nor  destroyed.  They  bore  in  their  body  the 
dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  were  assimilated  to  him  in  his  sufferings, 
his  griefs,  and  his  tears ;  but  the  life  also  of  Jesus  was  made  mani- 
fest in  their  life.  They  exhibited  not  only  the  wounds  and  scars 
by  which  he  was  afflicted  in  the  house  of  his  friends,  but  there 
shone  in  their  conversation  the  meekness,  the  humility,  the  watch- 
fulness, the  heavenly-mindedness,  and  the  prayerfulness  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  Thus  while  in  the  strength  of  Christ,  they  were 
strong,  in  his  image  they  were  lovely. 

And  what  was  done  for  the  afflicted  apostles,  God  will  do  for  all 
his  afflicted  people.  No  weapon  formed  against  them  will  prosper. 
In  every  temptation,  he  will  provide  a  way  of  escape.  He  will 
be  with  them  in  six  troubles,  and  in  seven  he  will  not  forsake 
them.  All  things  are  theirs,  "  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Ce- 
phas, or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or  things  to 
come;  all  are  yours ;  and  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's." 
The  pledge,  which  God,  in  infinite  compassion,  has  given  to  his 
redeemed  family,  that  where  he  has  begun  a  good  work,  he  will 
carry  it  on  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ,  implies  a  regular  and 
constant  supply  of  grace  and  strength,  proportioned  to  the  trials 
with  which  we  meet,  the  conflicts  in  which  we  engage,  and  the 
sufferings  we  are  called  to  endure.  God  has  undertaken  to  bring 
his  people  to  heaven,  their  growth  in  grace  is  a  necessary  prepa- 
ration for  that  state,  and  that  growth  depends  on  a  constant  Divine 
influence.  Hence  he  will  never  leave  them,  he  will  never  forsake 
them.  The  light  which  has  illumined  their  darkness  will  shine 
more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day.  They  shall  go  from  strength 
to  strength,  every  one  of  them  appearing  in  Zion  before  God. 


1.  How  safe  and  happy  are  the  Lord's  people.  They  are  not 
exempt  from  trials,  but  are  permitted  to  know  that  their  strength 
shall  be  proportioned  to  their  burdens.  They  are  to  be  tempted, 
but  shall  be  kept  from  falling;  are  to  be  afflicted,  but  the  fruit  of 
the  affliction  will  be  to  take  away  sin  ;  they  are  to  bear  a  burden, 
and  wear  a  yoke,  but  that  yoke  shall  be  easy,  and  that  burden 
light  ;  they  are  to  be  scourged,  but  the  strokes  will  be  fewer  than 
their  crimes,  and  lighter  than  their  guilt.     Hence  they  are  the 


KEPT    OF    GOD. 


283 


blessed  of  the  Lord.  They  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which 
strengtheneth  them.  They  are  dear  to  his  heart,  who  governs 
the  world,  who  notices  the  sparrow  and  the  worm,  and  will  not 
suffer  a  hair  of  their  head  to  perish.  They  have  not  yet  arrived 
at  heaven,  but  they  are  sure  to  roach  that  world,  and  live  for  ever 
in  the  presence  of  their  Lord.  And  all  this  blessedness  belongs 
to  the  meanest  disciple  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Not  one  who  has  ever 
possessed  a  heavenly  temper,  will  find  his  conflict  too  severe,  or 
come  short  of  that  rest  that  remains  for  the  people  of  God.  They 
will  be  able  in  their  dying  song  to  tantalize  their  last  enemy,  and 
say,  "  O  death !  where  is  thy  sting  1  Oh,  grave !  where  is  thy 
victory  1" 

2.  Their  present  strength  and  courage  do  not  decide  how  they 
shall  appear  in  the  hour  of  conflict,  or  what  shall  be  their  future 
condition.  It  is  absurd  that  the  believer  should  yield  his  hope 
because  he  does  not  find  himself  prepared  for  trials  which  have 
not  yet  come.  He  expects,  in  this  case,  a  mercy  never  promised. 
God  will  prepare  him  when  he  tries  him,  will  give  him  strength 
when  he  calls  him  to  the  onset.  Our  strength  is  not  to  be  greater 
thart  our  day,  but  equal.  Should  it  be  greater,  we  should  become 
proud  ;  should  it  be  less,  we  should  be  discouraged.  The  inter- 
positions of  Divine  mercy,  will  exactly  suit  the  exigencies  of  our 
case.  Christians  may  fear  that  they  will  not  be  prepared,  should 
they  be  called  to  this  and  that  affliction,  and  still  may  do  honor  to 
the  Lord  in  the  very  trial.  They  may  tremble  to  contemplate  that 
stroke  which  shall  sunder  them  from  some  beloved  friend,  and 
may  be  all  their  life  time  in  bondage,  through  fear  of  death,  and 
still  may  close  the  eyes  of  that  friend,  and  their  own  eyes,  with 
the  most  entire  composure.  Tender  and  delicate  females  have, 
when  supported  by  the  Divine  presence,  braved  the  terrors  of  a 
crucifix,  and  stood  undaunted,  while  the  fires  were  kindling  to 
consume  them.  I  have  seen  the  widowed  mother  quite  happy, 
while  she  softly  shut  the  eyelids  of  a  dying  son,  on  whom  she  had 
hoped  to  lean  as  the  prop  of  her  old  age,  and  for  whom  she  felt  a 
peculiar  attachment.  I  have  seen  the  father  employed  in  blessing 
the  Lord,  while  the  object  of  his  earthly  hopes,  and  the  only  sup- 
port of  his  name,  lay  amid  the  throes  of  an  agonized  death.  And 
it  happens  with  almost  all  the  Lord's  people,  that  they  quit  the 
world  calm  and  happy.  He  whom  they  serve  in  life  will  not  for- 
sake them  in  death. 

If,  then,  we  find  our  strength  equal  to  our  present  conflicts,  we 
have  nothing  to  feai.      Our  couraore  will  kindle   as  the    battle 


284  KEPT    OF    GOD. 

thickens,  and  our  strength  increase  as  we  march  on  to  the  more 
desperate  onset.  If  our  present  strength  is  sufficient  for  our  pre- 
sent purpose,  this  is  all  that  God  has  promised,  and  is  enough. 
Here  is  the  test  by  which  we  are  to  try  our  character.  Do  we 
submit  cheerfully  to  present  disappointments,  and  exhibit  a  right 
temper  under  all  the  present  little  corroding  incidents  of  this  con- 
flicting world]  He  who  feels  no  impatience  under  the  aching  of 
a  tooth,  nor  pores  with  regret  over  the  loss  of  a  dollar,  may  hope 
to  exhibit  the  same  submission  and  the  same  patience,  when  he 
feels  the  cold  chill  of  death,  and  parts  with  all  that  he  had  ever 
loved  in  this  world.  We  are  to  live  under  the  same  government 
for  ever ;  and  if  we  can  entirely  approve  of  the  present  Divine 
ministrations,  we  may  rest  assured  that  the  government  of  God 
will  fill  us  with  joy  through  all  future  periods. 


SHORT  SERMONS, 


OUTLINES   OF  DISCOURSES.* 


No.  I. 
THE  SINNER'S  DESPERATE  DEPRAVITY.f 

JEREMIAH    III.    5. 
Behold,  thou  hast  spokciii  and  done  evil  thinsa  as  thou  couldest. 

This  passage  evidently  teaches  the  doctrine,  that  men  are  as  de- 
praved as  they  can  be  in  present  circumstances.  The  charge  is  made 
by  the  infinitely  Holy  One,  and  can  be  fully  substantiated  against 
every  member  of  the  unregenerate  family.  The  justice  of  the 
charge  may  appear  from  a  consideration  of  the  following  positions: 

I.  That  God  in  his  providence  has  surrounded  the  sinner  with 
many  circumstances  operating  powerfully  to  modify  human 
character. 

II.  That  by  these  circumstances  every  sinner  is  actually  restrain- 
ed in  his  wickedness,  and  held  back 'in  his  downward  career. 

III.  That  every  sinner  does  make  the  attempt,  and  succeeds  as 
far  as  God  will  let  him,  to  sunder  these  ligatures  that  would  hold 
him  fast  to  reason,  hope,  and  heaven. 

Among  the  circumstances  which  illustrate  the  first  position,  I 
mention, 

1.  Education.     This   makes  Christendom   differ  from  the  dark 

•  The  following  plans  of  sermons,  contain  heads  of  thought,  with  partial  ampli' 
fication,  prepared  and  a>ed  by  the  Author  in  extemporaneous  prea?hing. 

t  This  skeleton  was  taken  by  the  reporter  of  the  Charleston  Observer,  when  de- 
livered by  the  author  in  Charleston,  S.  C. 


286  DESPERjiTE    DEPBAVITY. 

places  of  the  earth,  which  are  full  of  the  habitations  of  cruelty. 
This  makes  the  same  land  differ  from  what  it  was  while  a  land  of 
idolatry.  This  makes  us  to  differ  from  our  forefathers  when  un- 
der the  superstition  and  tyranny  of  the  Druids.  This  occasions 
the  difference  between  us  and  the  savage  of  the  western  wilds. 
Education,  then,  operates  greatly  in  modifying  character,  and  in 
preventing  men  from  being  as  bad  as  they  would  be. 

2.  Human  law  has  a  similar  effect.  How  near  right,  think  you, 
would  men  be,  if  they  were  not  controlled  by  human  laws  1 
Look  at  some  country  while  in  a  state  of  anarchy.  Look  at  some 
city  or  village  where  the  influence  of  law  is  suspended.  Look 
at  France,  while  under  the  reign  of  terror,  when  law  was  abro- 
gated, and  see  one  company  after  another  pass  under  the  guillo- 
tine ;  and  the  executioners  of  to-day  the  victims  of  to-morrow ; 
and,  tell  us,  is  not  character  greatly  modified  by  municipal  law] 

3.  By  the  law  of  God.  If  men  have  no  other  belief  in  it,  but 
that  which  may  be  denominated  the  faith  of  history,  it  still  greatly 
modifies  human  character.  Men  have  been  sorry  a  thousand  times 
that  God  ever  issued  his  law.  They  have  hated  to  read,  "Thou 
shall  have  no  other  gods  before  me."  They  have  been  sorry  to 
read,  "Remember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy;"  "Thou  shall 
not  commit  adultery  ;"  "  Thou  shall  not  kill ;"  "  Thou  shall  not 
steal,"  &c.  But  men  have  been  in  a  measure  restrained  by  these 
laws,  while  they  have  haled  the  Lawgiver,  and  despised  his  statutes. 

4.  The  troublesome  supervision  of  conscience  has  greatly  modi- 
fied human  character.  This  everlasting  censorship,  while  it  has 
held  men  back  from  sin,  has  been  hated,  and  warred  against,  and 
scowled  upon,  by  the  whole  human  family. 

5.  The  whole  Gospel, — the  law  drawn  out  into  offensive  inter- 
ference with  the  sinful  pleasures  and  follies  of  men,  has  modified 
human  character  beyond  all  calculation.  It  so  commends  itself  to 
their  reason,  and  applies  such  power  to  their  consciences,  that  it 
becomes  exceedingly  difficult  to  withstand  it.  It  is  so  tender,  ma- 
jestic, commanding,  and  reasonable,  that  it  for  a  time  melts  and 
overawes  many  who  ultimately  reject  its  provisions. 

6.  All  the  Gospel  institutions — the  Sabbath,  the  sanctuary,  the 
church-going  bell,  the  Lord's  supper,  the  ordinance  of  baptism, 
every  thing  associated  with  Christian  worship,  operates  in  modifying 
human  character,  and  rendering  it  in  appearance,  better  than  it  is. 

7.  The  desire  of  heaven  has  the  same  effect.  None,  perhaps, 
are  so  abandoned  as  not  to  hope  that  they  may,  after  all,  live  and 
be  happy  after  death.     The  bare  possibility  that  they   shall   reach 


DESPERATE    DEPRAVITY.  287 

heaven,  and  wish  to  unite  in  the  song  of  redennption,  prevents  them 
from  being  as  wicked  as  they  would  be.  This  operates  as  a  pow- 
erful restraint,  and  helps  greatly  to  modify  character. 

8.  The  fear  of  hell,  also,  holds  back  many  from  the  commission 
of  crime.  Men  are  afraid  that  what  they  have  heard  respecting 
hell  is  true.  Though  the  subject  often  excites  their  unhallowed 
mirth,  it  is  a  mirth  which  has  its  misgivings.  Their  very  laugh- 
ter betrays  their  fears.  And  though  they  trifle  with  the  thought 
of  everlasting  burnings,  it  is  with  the  manifest  design  of  keeping 
their  courage  up.  The  fear  of  hell  thus  operates  in  modifying  the 
character,  perhaps  even  of  the  most  worldly. 

9.  The  expectation  of  a  judgment  has  the  same  effect.  They 
have  some  apprehension  that  they  may  be  called  to  answer  at  the 
bar  of  God  for  their  deeds  on  earth.  They  have  "a  fearful  look- 
ing for"  of  this  dread  reality.  They  think  it  may  be  true  thai  God 
will  bring  them  into  judgment,  for  every  work,  whether  it  be  good 
or  evil,  and  apportion  his  awards  accordingly.  And  hence,  this 
apprehension  serves  as  a  wonderful  restraint  upon  their  character. 

10.  Public  sentiment  is  a  great  preventive  of  crime.  Men  are 
so  constituted  as  to  be  obliged  to  respect  public  sentiment.  They 
cannot  endure  the  indignation  of  a  whole  community  ;  and  public 
sentiment  in  Christian  lands  favors  virtue,  and  frowns  on  vice.  The 
assassin  is  thus  disarmed — the  thief  becomes  honest — the  swindler 
pays  his  debts — because  public  sentiment  compels  him.  No  one 
has  daring  enough  to  be  utterly  indifferent  to  the  good  opinion  of 
all  his  acquaintance ;  and  character  is  thus  greatly  modified. 

11.  The  domestic  affection  produce  the  same  result.  The  silk- 
en cords  which  entwine  around  the  family  circle,  prevent  the  com 
mission  of  many  a  crime.  I'he  father,  the  husband,  the  mother, 
the  wife,  the  son,  the  brother,  the  daughter,  the  sister — all  the  en- 
deared relations  which  the  members  of  a  family  sustain  to  each 
other,  and  which  are  strengthened  every  day,  operate  greatly  in 
the  formation  of  character.  How  many  a  son  has  been  saved 
from  ruin,  through  the  affection  which  he  bore  to  his  mother  1 
How  often  has  a  sister's  entreaties  tamed  the  ferocious  spirit  of  a 
brother,  and  rendered  it  yielding  and  lovely. 

Thus  we  see  how  curbed  men  often  are,  while  in  their  native 
state.  This  world,  then,  is  in  disguise.  God,  who  only  knows 
the  full  influence  of  these  modifying  circumstances,  knows  what 
is  in  man.  Therefore,  when  he  looks  down  from  heaven,  he  still 
pronounces  "  the   whole  head   sick   and  the   whole   heart  faint," 


288  DESPERATE    DEPRAVITV. 

"  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  evil,"  specious  appearances  to 
the  contrary  notwithstanding. 

Thus  we  have  recounted  some  of  the  circumstances  which  mo- 
dify the  human  character.  These  are,  indeed,  of  vast  importance. 
They  result  in  what  we  term  civility^  good  morals,  &c. — all  bearing 
kindly  upon  the  present  condition  of  man.  They  all  speak  the 
wisdom  and  kindness  of  God, — they  are  so  many  golden  chains 
let  down  to  earth,  to  modify  its  moral  corruptions.  God  is  good 
in  every  such  ligature,  by  which  he  holds  men  within  the  reach  of 
that  blessed  influence,  which  can  sanctify  and  make  them  meet  to 
be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light.  We  ought, 
then,  to  thank  God  for  these  modifying  circumstances,  and  pray 
that  he  would  put  these  chains  all  on,  and  keep  them  on,  till  even 
the  vilest  and  most  obdurate  shall  yield  to  his  infinite  love.  We 
Guffht  to  view  men  in  more  hopeful  circumstances,  in  proportion 
as  God  shall  hold  them  by  these  moral  bonds.  For,  while  a  young 
man  respects  the  Sabbath,  and  is  obedient  to  his  parents,  there  is 
more  hope  of  him  than  afterwards.  While  he  is  afraid  to  swear, 
we  may  hope  that  he  will  begin  to  pray.  While  he  dare  not  avow 
open  infidelity,  we  may  hope,  if  we  do  our  duty,  that  he  will  yet 
believe  revealed  truth,  to  the  saving  of  his  soul. 

11.  By  these  circumstances  every  sinner  is  actually  restrained 
in  his  wickedness,  and  held  back  in  his  downward  career.  In  proof 
of  which,  we  observe, 

1.  Men  are  uneaiy  under  these  circumstances,  which  shows 
them  to  be  restraints.  Let  men  be  unrestrained,  and  they  will  be 
easy.  It  is  only  pain  of  some  kind  that  renders  tliem  uneasy,  and 
willing  to  change  their  position.  Hence  they  will  not  come  to 
the  light,  lest  their  deeds  sliould  be  reproved. 

2.  Men  are  constantly  trying  to  alter  their  circumstances.  But 
they  are  too  indolent  by  nature  to  try  to  alter  their  circumstances, 
unless  they  are  circumstances  of  restraint. 

» 
So,  when  a  raging  fever  burns. 
They  shift  from  side  to  side  by  turns; 
And  'tis  a  poor  relief  they  gain, 
To  change  the  place,  but  keep  the  pain. 

3.  When  men  at  length  alter  their  circumstances  in  any  of  these 
respects,  they  often  show  out  a  worse  character;  manifesting 
what  they  would  have  been  before,  if  they  might,  if  these  restraints 
had  been  sundered   and  they  let  loose  upon  the  world. 


DESPERATE    DEPRAVITV.  289 

4.  When  these  restraints  are  all  removed,  men  are  uniformly 
far  more  wicked  than  if  they  had  not  been  imposed.  All  will 
admit  this.  It  is  therefore  manifest,  that  these  circumstances  ope- 
rate powerfully  in  restraining  men  from  a  career  of  sin  and  ruin. 
Even  in  the  Church  itself,  there  are  vast  multitudes  who  become 
apostates,  because  their  apparent  goodness  was  made  up  by  such 
restraints  :  they  had  really  no  concern  for  the  glory  of  God,  and 
were  not  religious  because  they  loved  religion.  Beware,  then, 
1  st  you  be  left  to  fall  away  from,  your  supposed  faith,  and  hurry 
on  to  destruction.  Not  only  should  professors  fear,  but  the  im- 
penitent also  should  fear  and  tremble  ;  because  God  holds  them  as 
accountable  beings,  completely  in  his  power;  and  in  kindness,  for 
a  time,  lets  down  ten  thousand  restraints  upon  them.  God  now 
controls  the  madness  of  his  enemies.  He  puts  his  hook  in  their 
nose,  and  his  bridle  in  their  lips ;  binds  them  with  his  restraints, 
anJ  holds  them,  perhaps,  in  apparent  subjection.  In  this  the  cha- 
racter of  hypocrites  and  unbelievers  is  distinguished  from  the  truly 
religious.  Their  wickedness  is  merely  suppressed,  not  subdued: 
their  amiable  appeararices  are  produced  by  restraining  providence, 
not  by  convertinir  grace.  The  heart  of  the  real  Christian  is  not 
suppressed,  but  radically  changed.  The  grace  of  God  has  trans- 
formed the  tiger  into  a  lamb,  and  the  wolf  into  a  kid.  The  Chris- 
tian abandons  sin  because  he  hates  it,  and  follows  after  holiness 
because  he  loves  it.  This  constitutes  the  beauty  of  the  Christian 
character,  and  this  the  distinguishing  glory  of  heaven.  There  will 
be  therp.  no  restraint  but  love.  The  whole  population  will  love  to 
do  right ;  and  impelled  by  love  alone,  will  employ,  in  doing  right, 
their  energies  for  ever.  On  the  other  hand,  as  the  character  of 
the  wicked  is  here  varied  and  modified  by  restraints,  God  will 
only  need  to  take  off  those  moral  ligatures,  and  substitute  the 
everlasting  chains  of  darkness,  to  surround  them  with  the  horrors 
of  hell.  The  exceeding  baseness  of  the  wicked  appears  in  this — 
that  all  these  powerful  restraints  are  required  to  hold  them  fast  in 
mercy,  and  prevent  them  from  doing  worse  ;  and  the  horror  of 
hell  in  this — that  all  its  population  will  love  to  do  wrong,  and  in 
wrath  be  let  loose  to  do  it,  so  far  as  they  can  amidst  fetters  which 
will  hold  fast  only  to  gall,  and  chains  which  will  confine  only  to 
burn.  How  amazing,  in  view  of  all  these  considerations,  is  the 
operation  of  these  providential  circumstances  in  restraining  the 
career  of  the  wicked  !  We  are  thus  prepared  to  consider  the  re- 
maining position,  viz.: 

VOL.  II.  37 


290  DESPERATE    DEPRAVITY. 

III.  That  every  sinner  does  make  the  attempt,  and  succeeds  as 
far  as  God  will  let  him,  to  sunder  these  ligatures  that  would  hold 
him  fast  to  reason,  hope,  and  heaven. 

One  would  think  that  a  sinner  would  not  wish  to  have  these 
kindly  ligatures  sundered.  Where  may  he  wander,  or  rather 
where  may  he  not  wander,  and  against  what  rock  may  he  not 
dash,  and  into  what  hottomless  vortex  may  he  not  plunge  wiih  all 
his  interests,  and  perish  with  his  all,  when  he  shall  have  thrown  off 
the  fastenings  that  hold  him  to  the  throne  of  the  Eternal  1  While 
we  go  the  ground  over,  and  see  how  he  raves,  and  rages,  and 
flounces  like  a  bull  in  the  net,  and  would  break  loose  from  God, 
if  he  might,  whatever  be  the  probable  result  upon  himself,  and  his 
hopes,  and  his  family,  and  his  character,  and  whatever  the  rela- 
tionship he  must  sunder,  we  are  amazed  at  every  step  of  the  ex- 
periment, and  we  are  amazed  at  the  result,  and  at  the  blindness  of 
the  immortal  being  that  is  in  a  measure  let  loose  to  try  his  skill 
in  the  awful  experiment,  till  God  gives  him  up  to  hardness  of  heart 
and  blindness  of  mind,  and  leaves  him  a  prey  to  himself,  and  he 
is  destroyed  in  his  own  waywardness.  Let  us,  then,  trace  his 
steps,  and  see  his  ravings : 

1.  See  how  he  breaks  over  and  breaks  through  the  restraints  of 
education.  He  tries  to  throw  off  what  he  knew  of  God,  and  all  he 
had  learned  of  the  Savior,  and  of  the  operations  of  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  all  he  had  learned  of  the  operations  of  the  Godhead,  in  the 
history  of  the  Church.  And  when  he  cannot  forget,  he  raves  at  his 
own  recollections,  and  madly  reproaches  the  mind  that  cannot  forget, 
and  will  not  retrace  and  throw  oft'  what  it  is  now  to  him  a  burden 
and  curse  to  recollect.  But  the  Bible  rushes  upon  his  unholy 
mind  with  the  vividness  of  a  new,  and  fresh,  and  hated  story.  O, 
that  he  had  never  read  that  book  !  he  cries;  that  his  mother  had 
not  furnished  him  a  Bible  when  he  left  his  home,  or  had  not  made 
him  promise  to  read  it  every  day!  But  if  in  his  senses  he  may 
not  forget,  perhaps  he  may  induce  God  to  put  out  his  mind,  and 
destroy  the  powers  cf  recollection.  And  this  is  now  the  only 
prayer  he  makes,  and  the  only  thing  he  cares  for.  In  the  mean 
time,  he  hates  the  very  lessons  that  he  learned  in  school,  and 
would  tread  them  all  down  as  one  does  the  worthless  weeds  that 
are  overgrowing  his  path  in  a  garden.     But, 

2.  When  he  has  tried  for  a  time,  but  has  tried  in  vain,  to  retrace 
the  process  of  education,  he  finds  himself  reined  in  by  human  laws. 
If  he  cannot  forget  God,  perhaps  he  can  snap  asunder  the  power 
of  human  control.     Man  cannot  be  omniscient.     He  can  evade  all 


DESPERATE    DEPRAVITY.  291 

human  ties.     He  can  rise  above  the   law,  and  tread   it  down  like 
the  mire  of  the  street.     Or  he  can  violate  its  precepts  and  despise 
its  regulations,  and  hold  on  and  hold  out  in  despite  of  all  its  sanc- 
tions, presuming  in  his  heart  that  God  will  not  know,  neither  will 
the  Almighty  consider  it.     If  the  law  does  say,   "  Thou  shalt  not 
violate  the   rest  of  the   Sabbath,"  he  can  drink   and   carouse,  or 
lounge  and  loiter,  and  the  world  will  only  esteem  him  the  better, 
especially  if  he  add  generosity  and   liberality  to  his  infidelity  and 
to  his  deeds  of  daring  and  outrage.     He  may  violate  any  law  that 
lays  its  restraints  on  this  side   of  the  judgment.     Perhaps  there 
may  come  no  day  of  hated  and   holy  retribution,  and  then  he  can 
have  the  infernal  satisfaction  of  laughing  at  the  Christians.     If  the 
failure  of  the  Divine  promise  of  such  a  day  should  ruin  the  world, 
it  will  not,  as  he   conceives,  ruin  him.     He  would  be  willing  that 
no  such  appointment   should  be  fulfilled,  even  though  the  failure 
should  tarnish  for  ever  the  character  of  Jehovah.     If  the  law  does 
say,  "  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery,"  if  he  can  violate   it,  and 
the  crime  be  hid,  and  no  human  tribunal  take  cognizance  of  the 
deed,   he   cares  not  for  the  law.     He   cares  not  what   misery  his 
iniquities  occasion,  if  his  deeds  do  not  break   into   open  daylight. 
If  it  break  the  heart  of  a  mother,  and  if  a  father  writhe  under  the 
agony  of  a  ruined   son,  he  does  not  care  for  the   tears  of  that 
mother,  nor  the  agonies  of  that  father.     The  deed  he  has  done  he 
does  not  intend  shall  come  to  light,  in  the  present  life,  and  he  can 
easily  bring  himself  to  care  for  nothing  beyond.     Thus  he  throws 
off  nearly  all  the   restraints   of  human  law,  and  contents  himself 
with  the  purpose   never  to  commit  murder,  or  theft,  or  any  crime 
that  would  draw  him  out  to  the  light.     Thus  he  blesses  himself  in 
his  own  delusion,  and  trusts  for  safety  in   his  own   righteousness. 
But  he  meets  with  more  disturbance  yet. 

3.  From  the  law  of  God.  Impenitent  and  unbelieving,  he  has 
read  in  that  law  what,  if  he  cannot  put  down,  he  is  a  ruined  man  : 
"  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me."  Thus  is  dashed,  at 
th-e  first  stroke,  the  whole  fabric  of  a  dark  and  fatal  idolatry.  If 
man  worships  his  money,  or  his  merchandize,  or  his  farm,  or  his 
friend,  or  any  thing  but  God,  or  gives  any  thing  else  his  supreme 
affection,  even  if  he  does  not  professedly  worship  it,  he  is  con- 
demned of  God.  And  he  adds,  "  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of 
the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain."  But  how  unfas>hionable  it  would  be 
to  care  about  this  commandment,  and  let  the  apprehension  that 
God  "will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in  vain," 
produce  a  serious  moment,  or  a  pang  of  distress  !     It   is  so  noble 


292  DESPERATE    DEPRAVITY. 

not  to  care  about  God,  or  what  God  can  say,  or  do,  and  it  would 
be  so  cowardly,  so  ungentlemanly,  to  be  afraid  to  sin,  that  the 
offender  just  breaks  this  grand  and  controlling  ligature  easier  than 
many  that  would  seem  to  ha\'e  no  such  power  to  bind  and  to  re- 
strain. An  effort  not  so  mighty  as  that  which  sundered  Samson's 
green  withes,  puts  them  all  aside.     But, 

4.  Not  quite  so  easily  does  he  dispose  of  the  troublesome  super- 
vision o{  conscience.  This  vicegerent  of  Heaven  stays  often  many 
a  month  after  open  war  is  declared.  It  sometimes  will  hold  close 
conference  with  the  heart,  although  the  heart  may  wish  to  be  alone. 
It  is  that  power  that  will  not  die,  nor  see  corruption.  It  will  not 
go  to  sleep  in  the  grave :  it  will  watch,  even  while  the  wretch  is 
dying,  to  secure  the  honor  of  God,  and  gather  courage  for  a  fresh 
attack  just  by  the  dying  pillow.  And  the  agony  of  its  first  onset 
in  the  unseen  world,  hard  by  the  place  of  dying,  devils  cannot 
know.  For  they  have  never  spurned  a  dying  Savior,  and  they  have 
never  died. 

Biit  all  the  embrasures  that  can  be  opened  upon  the  soul  by  this 
moral  avenger  must  be  closed,  or  its  eternal  thunders  will  be  heard 
and  felt.  Yes,  even  here  the  heart  sometimes  says  to  conscience, 
as  Satan  to  the  Savior,  "Art  thou  come  to  torment  me  before  the 
time  V  But  it  is  the  conflict  of  desperation,  and,  like  the  mur- 
derer who  came  into  close  and  terrible  embrace  with  the  man 
whose  blood  he  would  spill,  and  was  heard  to  say,  "  You  must  die," 
and  with  that  saying  put  forth  a  thrust  that  forced  the  dagger  to 
his  heart;  so  in  assailing  conscience,  to  put  down  its  spirit  of  ad- 
monition, it  must  be  assailed  desperately,  and  if  the  victory  cannot 
be  otherwise  secured,  it  must  be  drawn  to  the  crater,  where  the 
wretch  stands  to  torment  himself,  and  to  be  hardened  by  a  view  of 
its  fires;  and  here  may  perhaps  end  the  conflict,  till  it  is  renewed 
asfain  on  the  other  side  of  time.  Now  there  is  but  little  left  for 
the  sinner  to  do.  Conscience  has  ceased  its  admonitions.  But 
still  he  has  a  slight  conflict. 

5.  Wiih  the  institutions  of  the  Gospel.  We  noticed  in  his  con- 
flict with  the  law,  which  spreads  abroad  its  troublesome  interfer- 
ence with  his  lusts  and  his  pleasures,  how  readily  he  could  con- 
trive to  evade  its  claims.  But  the  Gospel,  like  some  faithful  par- 
ty in  the  field  of  blood,  still  keeps  up  the  chase,  and  deeply  wounds 
at  every  shot.  It  proves  not  so  easy  as  was  apprehended  to  still 
this  avenger  of  justice.  It  pursues  the  sinner  close  through  all  the 
narrow  lane  of  life,  and  even  down  to  the  gate  of  hell,  unless  sovc- 
rein^n  o-race  cffectudly  iiitcroose,  or  long  injured  mercy  say,  "  Le^ 


DESPERATE    DEPRAVITY. 


293 


him  alone.''''  But  see  the  ungrateful  struggle  of  the  sinner  to  cast 
off  this  fastness  of  heaven — this  Gospel  of  salvation.  Every 
church-going  bell  fils  his  conscience  u  itli  guilt,  and  each  return  of 
the  day  of  rest  reminds  him  of  the  quiet  of  his  paternal  roof,  where 
a  mother's  prayers  used  to  be  joined  with  the  Sabbath  day,  in  ren- 
dering the  time  of  rest  too  holy  to  be  endured.  He  must  pervert 
its  holy  design,  or  writhe  and  bleed  under  the  lashes  of  a  guilty 
conscience.  If  he  can  get  some  scene  of  iniquity  open,  to  prevent 
his  soul  from  thinking  ;  if  the  theatre  may  be  opened,  or  any  oiher 
house  of  death,  or  he  may  sport  himself  with  the  pleasures  of  the 
turf,  and  thus  kill  time,  and  throw  ofT  this  one  additional  fastness 
of  heaven,  and  put  himself  afloat  upon  the  sea  of  life,  then  he  can 
be  comparatively  happy,  boasting  like  the  school  boy's  kite, — 

See  how  yon  crowd  of  gazing  people 
Mmire  my  height  above  the  steeple; 
How  would  you  ivonder,  did  you  ktiow. 
But  what  a  kite  like  I  can  do? 

It  tugged  and  pulled,  while  thus  it  spoke, 

To  break  the  string ;  at  last  it  broke ; 

Deprived  at  once  cf  all  its  stay, 

In  vain  it  tried  to  soar  away ; 

Unable  its  own  weight  to  bear, 

It  fluttered  downward  through  the  air; 

Unab!e  its  own  course  to  guide, 

The  wind  soon  plunged  it  in  the  tide. 

Thus  it  will  not  fail  to  happen  to  the  immortal  being  who  shall 
try  to  do  without  the  Gospel.  He  may  go  off  from  God,  and  de- 
spise the  power  that  would  pull  him  back,  but  he  will  go  to  wander 
amid  the  blackness  of  darkness  for  ever ! 

Had  I  time,  I  would  go  on  through  the  whole  catalogue  of  re- 
straints, and  show  how,  one  by  one,  the  sinner  wantonly  throws 
them  off.     But  I  can  notice  only  one  or  two  more  particulars. 

6.  The  hardened  sinner  would  dislodge  himself  from  all  thought 
of  heaven  or  fear  of  hell.  And  yet  these  are  very  powerful  liga- 
tures, and  often  the  last  to  be  sundered.  When  men  think  of  re- 
linquishing heaven,  they  sometimes  forget  that  awakening  previous 
question,  "If  I  abandon  the  thought  of  heaven,  where  shall  1  then 
be  1  What  means  that  worm  which  never  dies  \  What  mean 
those  chains  of  darkness — and  that  gnashing  of  teeth — and  that 
quenchless  fire  V  Ah  !  when  the  smner  is  arrested  by  such  ques- 
tions, and  must  answer  them,  and  answer  them,  too,  under  the 
operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  will  find  it  hard  work  to  answer 


294 


DESPERAVE    DEPRAVITY. 


them,  and  sin  on.  The  throes  produced  will  be  like  those  of  the 
second  death ;  and  whoever  has  tried,  will  not  need  again  to  ask 
what  is  meant  by  the  undying  worm.  That  eternal  separation 
from  the  society  of  the  good,  and  that  imprisonment  with  the  devil 
and  his  angels,  if  it  bites  like  a  serpent  and  stings  like  an  adder, 
when  only  anticipated, — what  will  the  reality  be  ]  I  am  scared 
at  my  own  question.  It  will  be  a  death  that  never  dies — a  living 
death !     But, 

7.  There  is  still  another  thought.  The  sinner  must  have  broken 
through  all  the  restraints  of  public  sentimeiit^  before  we  can  know 
how  bad  he  would  be  5  and  this  ligature  he  tries  to  snap  asunder. 
But  he  will  find  that  public  very  populous,  before  he  gets  through. 
After  he  has  gone  his  round  with  mortals,  and  has  learned  not  to 
care  what  men  think  of  his  conduct,  he  must  cease,  too,  to  care 
what  is  thought  of  his  deeds,  in  heaven.  Those  beings  that  have 
kept  watch  over  his  pillow  by  night,  that  have  warded  off  fire  and 
pestilence,  or  waked  him  in  time  to  flee,  that  have  loved  his  father 
and  mother,  and  love  them  still  in  heaven, — what  will  they  think 
of  the  puny  worm  who  has  brought  himself  to  despise  them,  and 
sport  with  their  opinion.  But  even  this  is  not  all ;  for  devils,  too, 
have  their  opinion.  And  he  must  cease  to  care  what  they  think  of 
him  in  hell.  And  their  judgment,  remember,  is  not  depraved  like 
their  hearts.  One  might  almost  as  well  attempt  to  silence  the 
opinion  of  heaven  as  of  hell.  The  murmurs  of  that  dark  world 
against  the  man  who  casts  its  burning  sentiments  behind  his  back, 
will  be  like  the  distant  roar  of  a  thousand  cataracts,  or  like  the 
dashing  of  as  many  icebergs  conflicting  with  each  other  in  some 
boundless  polar  sea.     And, 

Finally :  there  yet  remains  to  be  noticed  one  of  the  most  pow- 
erful motives  of  restraint,  the  domestic  affections.  It  is  impossible 
to  guess  what  men  would  be,  till  they  throw  off  the  hold,  for 
instance,  that  a  mother  has  upon  a  profligate  son.  We  must 
recollect  how  John  Newton  managed,  and  how  miserable  he  was, 
while  a  mother  lived  to  hold  the  cord  entwined  about  his  heart. 
When  every  other  tie  had  been  sundered,  the  mother  kept  hold  of 
him  by  this  ;  when  his  character  was  gone,  when  he  had  de- 
scended to  the  meanness  of  serving  a  black  mistress,  and  of  eating 
his  morsel  from  her  leavings;  Avhen  her  favor  was  life  to  him,  and 
her  frown  filled  him  with  despair,  and  he  had  no  other  friend,  then 
he  remembered  a  mother's  counsels  and  a  mother's  prayers;  and 
then  and  there  gave  his  heart  to  his  Savior.  There,  from  Africa's 
dark  soil,  and  from  a  condition  and  character  darker  still,  he  first 


RECIPE    FOE    A    REVIVAL.  295 

lifted  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  began  to  breathe  eternal  life  ;  and 
he  lives  now,  and  sings  redeeming  grace  in  heaven,  and  tells  in 
every  song,  how  hard  it  is  for  a  sinner  to  conflict  with  the  re- 
straints of  infinite  love. 

But  all  these  are  a  part  only  of  the  circumstances,  the  restraints, 
that  go  to  modify  human  character;  all  of  which  the  sinner  delibe- 
rately strives  to  neutralize.  And  if  in  nothing  else  has  he  shown  a 
character  bad  as  language  can  describe,  or  actions  prove,  he  has 
given  a  climax  of  the  whole  in  his  attempts  to  sunder  all  such 
ties,  and  cut  himself  loose  from  God,  and  from  the  whole  family 
of  kindly  influences  that  would  save  his  soul  from  death. 

Such  is  the  obstinacy,  the  rebelliousness,  the  ingratitude  of  the 
sinner  :  must  he  not,  then,  be  born  again,  have  a  new  heart  and  a 
new  spirit,  or  never  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  1 


No.    II. 
RECIPE   FOR  A   REVIVAL. 

2    CHRONICLES    VII.    14. 
If  my  people,  which  are  called  by  my  name,  shall  Immble  themselves,  and  pray,  and  seekmjr 
face,  and  turn  from  their  evil  ways;  then  will  I  hear  from  heuveii,  and  will  forgive  their  sins,  and 
heal  their  land. 

The  manner  of  the  approach  of  God's  people  to  him,  so  as  to 
secure  his  bliessing,  and  draw  down  covenant  mercies  on  the 
Church  and  the  world,  is  the  grand  secret  of  being  useful  and 
happy.  I  consider  this  thought  amply  and  beautifully  illustrated 
in  the  text,  leaving  scarcely  any  important  point  untouched.  In 
illustrating  this  subject,  my  plan  will  be  purely  textual. 

1.  The  Lord  has  in  this  world  a  precious  people.  They  are 
"  called  by  his  name."  They  are  "  dear  to  him  as  the  apple  of  his 
eye."  He  has  "engraven  them  on  the  palms  of  his  hands."  They 
are  more  precious  to  him  than  any  other  portion  of  the  creation. 
Hence  we  hear  it  said,  the  "Lord's  portion  is  his  people;  Jacob 
is  the  lot  of  his  inheritance." 

2.  They  are  called  by  his  name. 

In  great  condescension  to  his  people,  God  thus  lets  them  bear 
his  name.     Jacob  was  so  named  when  he  wrestled  with  the  angel 


296  RECIPE    FOR    A   REVIVAL. 

of  the  covenant  at  Penuel.  And  the  Christians  are  so  called,  be- 
cause they  partake  of  the  character  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And 
we  care  not  whether  this  name  was  given  them  byway  of  reproach 
or  otherwise.  It  honors  them,  and  if  they  honor  it,  they  will  pro- 
mote their  own  best  interests.  In  Eastern  countries,  it  is  a  com- 
mon fact  for  kings  and  princes  to  give  their  own  name  to  strangers 
whom  they  would  honor.  And  I  suppose  Goi  has,  for  the  same 
reason,  and  in  reference  to  this  custom,  permitted  his  people  to 
wear  his  name,  while  they  stay  in  this  distant  world,  away  from  his 
palace  and  their  house. 

3.  If  they  shall  humble  themselves. 

God  seems  to  have  put  it  into  the  power  of  his  people  to  make 
themselves  what  he  would  have  them.  He  shapes  them,  through 
their  own  agency,  to  be  instruments  of  usefulness  to  the  Church, 
and  to  be  blessings  to  the  world  at  large.  There  are  many  things 
brought  to  their  view  which  are  calculated  to  humble  them.  God 
may  give  them  a  distinct  view  of  their  own  hearts,  or  of  the  spirit- 
uality and  extent  of  his  law.  Thus  permitting  them  to  look  to  the 
rock  whence  they  were  hewn,  and  the  hole  of  the  pit  whence  they 
wei'e  digged,  they  are  prepared  to  walk  softly  before  the  Lord, 
and  take  the  very  place  he  would  have  them  take  in  his  temple, 
and  do  the  very  things  he  would  have  them  do  for  his  honor. 

4.  And  pray. 

But  what  can  this  mean  1  Are  not  the  Lord's  people  a  praying 
people^,  and  has  it  not  been  characteristic  of  them,  "Behold  he 
prayeth  \  "  True  as  this  may  be,  his  people  become  cold  in  prayer, 
and  virtually  neglect  to  pray  in  the  manner  that  God  dictates. 
They  often  lose  sight  of  God,  and  their  prayers  do  not  come  up 
into  his  ear,  nor  reach  his  heart,  nor  draw  forth  those  kindred 
emotions  of  his  soul,  which  is  the  very  design  of  prayer,  and 
which,  more  than  anything  besides,  secures  the  blessing  of  Hea- 
ven, as  we  shall  see  in  the  next  particular. 

5.  And  seek  my  face. 

But  what  can  this  mean  1  Can  the  people  of  God  pray,  without 
seeking  the  face  of  God  1  I  suppose  there  may  be  this  defect  in 
their  prayers,  that  they  do  not  seek  his  face.  God  will  not  have 
his  people  approach  him  in  that  manner,  which  is  characteristic  of 
a  mere  slave,  who  may  not  open  his  mouth  in  the  presence  of  his 
master,  but  who  stands  in  the  outer  apartment  of  his  house,  and 
sends  in  his  petitions  by  proxy.  He  would  have  us  come  imme- 
diately to  his  face.  And  there  is  one  sweet  text  that  encourages 
us  to  do  so — "  0,   my  dove,   that  art   in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  in 


OUTLINES,  OF    DISCOURSES.  297 

the  secret  places  of  the  stairs,  let  me  see  thy  countenance,  let  me 
hear  thy  voice  ;  for  sweet  is  thy  voice,  and  thy  countenance  is 
comely."  I  do  not  believe  that  God  ever  intended  his  people 
should  pray  to  him  in  that  distant  manner,  which  exhibits  them  as 
strangers. 

6.   And  turn  from  their  evil  ways. 

This  is  a  condition  in  the  hypothesis  very  important.  If  Chris- 
tians do  not  turn  from  their  wicked  ways,  they  will  not  honor  God, 
and  God  will  not  hear  their  prayer.  He  does  not  here  define  what 
are  the  wicked  ways  we  are  to  turn  from,  but  leaves  the  Christian's 
mind  to  operate  under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit.  I  am  led  to  be- 
lieve that  any  wicked  ways,  persevered  in,  will  effectually  shut 
out  our  prayers. 

And  now  the  promise — 

1.  Then  will  I  hear  from  heaven. 

The  way  is  prepared  now  for  the  Christian  to  offer  any  prayer 
he  pleases,  that  is  dictated  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  To  be  a  worker 
together  with  God  in  rendering  the  Church  holy  and  the  world 
happy.  We  have  heard  a  great  deal  about  the  prayer  of  faith,  but 
it  strikes  me  there  is  too  little  account  made  of  the  preparation  of 
faith  which  we  here  see  carried  out.  "  Then  will  1  hear  from  hea- 
ven." I  will  hear  any  prayer  my  people  shall  choose  to  offer.  I 
will  hear  them  whenever  they  have  this  preparation.  When  Da- 
niel would  carry  before  God  the  case  of  the  captive  tribes,  he  be- 
gan to  pray  at  the  time  of  offering  up  of  the  evening  sacrifice.  A 
council  seemed  to  be  called  in  heaven,  and  the  decree  went  out, 
that  his  prayer  should  be  heard  and  his  request  granted,  and  an 
angel  came  to  whisper  it  in  his  ear  while  yet  on  his  knees.  And 
when  Peter,  sleeping  between  the  two  soldiers,  cast  his  eyes  up  to 
heaven,  the  time  of  his  deliverance  came,  his  chains  fell  off  from 
him,  the  gates  of  his  prison  flew  open,  and  he  was  free.  Thus  God 
seems  to  have  fixed  the  time  when  he  will  answer  the  prayers  of 
his  people,  and  has  made  it  depend  on  their  preparation  to  offer 
the  prayer,  when  their  requests  shall  be  granted.  There  are  two 
distinct  blessings,  which  God  is  ready  to  pour  out  on  his  people, 
when  they  have  thus  prepared  themselves  to  offer  the  effectual, 
fervent  prayer  of  the  righteous,  that  availeth  much. 

In  the  first  place,  God  will  forgive  their  sins.  As  often  as  the 
Holy  Ghost  thus  leads  them  to  prepare  themselves,  he  forgives 
them.  Thus  the  people  of  God  may  be  pardoned  in  the  morn- 
ing, again  at  noon,  and  in  the  evening ;  they  may  be  pardoned 

VOL.  II.  38 


298  SHORT    SERMONS,    OE 

on  the  Sabbath,  and  through  the  week  ;  and  thus  pardons  be  strung, 
like  precious  gems,  along  the  whole  course  to  heaven. 

In  the  second  place,  he  will  heal  their  land.  This  includes  the 
removal  of  any  calamity  that  may  have  come  upon  them — whether 
war  desolates,  or  pestilence  lays  waste,  or  mildew  blights,  or  any 
other  woe  be  upon  them,  every  evil  is  removed,  when  they  thus 
come  prepared  to  the  throne  of  grace.  Thus  there  is  dependent 
on  the  prayers  of  God's  people  the  removal  of  all  those  calamities 
which  are  preying  on  the  life-blood  of  the  world.  The  same  may 
be  said  with  respect  to  the  bestowment  of  all  those  positive  bless- 
ings, of  which  his  people,  or  the  world,  stand  in  perishing  need. 
They  may  all  be  summed  up  in  a  precious  revival  of  his  work,  by 
which  he  gladdens  his  Churches,  blesses  his  ministers,  and  loves 
his  people,  and  by  which  he  holds  back  the  world  from  those 
strides  in  iniquity  which  would  carry  them  beyond  the  reach  of 
grace  and  of  glory. 


1.  If  any  say,  that  this  makes  a  revival  depend  too  much  on  hu- 
man contrivance  ;  I  can  only  say,  it  is  God's  own  contrivance.  It 
is  the  plan  he  contrived  for  his  ancient  people,  and  the  plan  he  still 
pursues  with  his  Church  under  the  gospel,  and  probably  ever  will, 
to  all  future  ages.  He  makes  his  people  glad  in  his  house  of 
prayer  for  ever. 

2.  Thus  the  Church,  like  the  ladder  which  Jacob  saw,  becomes 
a  medium  of  communication  between  God  and  the  world,  present- 
ing to  him  its  wants,  and  communicating  to  it  his  favors. 

3.  If  this  be  so,  how  important  and  responsible  a  situation  the 
Christian  fills !  and  how  important  that  he  should  perform  the  du- 
ties incumbent  on  him ! 


No.    III. 

JEREMIAH  X.  6. 
They  weary  themselves  to  commit  iniquity. 

This  is  a  suffering  world  in  more  senses  than  one.  We  are 
subject  to  toil  and  labor  in  consequence  of  the  apostacy,  and  to 
perpetual  vexation  of  mind,  in  consequence  of  our  opposition  to 
the  Divine  will.  The  sinner,  therefore,  is  compelled,  if  he  will 
continue  in  sin,  to  maintain  a  mental  war  which  devours  and 
exterminates  from  his  breast  all  the  elements  of  vital  joy. 
Determined  not  to  repent — yet  anxious  for  happiness^ — compelled 
by  the  necessities  of  his  nature  to  cry  out  for  peace  of  mind,  yet 
averse  to  holiness,  its  necessary  means,  he  toils  hard,  and  travails 
in  pain,  and  ripens  in  agony  here,  for  the  agony  eternal,  which  lies 
before  him.  To  delineate  the  particulars  of  this  mental  war,  I 
remark, 

I.  The  sinner  must  sustain  morality  without  piety.  He  must  be 
moral  or  miserable.  The  vices  are  so  many  demons,  resolved  into 
their  original  elements.  They  torment  a  man  before  his  time. 
Disgrace  ;  loss  of  property  ;  of  all  real  friendship  ;  of  domestic 
affection  j  of  the  health  and  life ;  of  self-respect  and  elevated  com- 
panionship; all  wait  around  a  course  of  vice.  The  vicious  man 
sinks  deeper  and  deeper  in  the  mire.  The  reptiles  of  the  slough, 
in  which  he  journeys,  grow  more  and  more  venomous  and  malig- 
nant. He  must  be  moral  or  miserable.  It  is  hard  work,  however, 
to  maintain  morality  without  religion.  The  passions  are  strong; 
the  world  is  full  of  temptation  ;  the  soul  is  liable  to  be  beat  off 
from  its  hold  on  morality,  unless  recovered  by  grace  ;  its  course 
will  be  tremendous,  the  progress  of  its  depravity  vehement,  and 
great  the  fall  of  it. 

II.  He  must  feel  secure  without  a  promise.  No  man  can  realize 
the  final  wreck  of  the  soul,  and  feel  happy  in  the  prospect.  The 
mind,  in  the  ordinary  stages  of  depravity,  shudders  and  recoils, 
and  hides  itself  from  the  prospect.  Even  the  hardest  incrustations 
of  sin  cannot  prepare  the  soul  to  look  fully  at  eternal  wailing  un- 


300  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

daunted.  There  it  stands,  that  never  ceasing  view;  thai  vivid 
painting  of  the  future  ;  that  dark,  shadowy,  but  distinct,  and  fear- 
ful representation  of  utter  ruin  ;  it  is  hung  out  before  the  soul  by 
the  stern  truth  of  God,  from  behind  every  scene  of  guilt,  and  along 
every  winding  of  the  soul's  weary  path.  How  can  he  feel  secure  1 
Yet  how  can  he  bear  to  face  that  vision  1  If  he  looks  to  nature, 
it  warns  him  ;  to  his  companions,  they  are  falling  into  the  arms 
of  the  monster.  He  is  warned  in  the  family  circle,  in  the  scene 
of  futurity,  in  the  haunts  of  dissipation,  around  the  grave  ;  every 
where  a  compassionate  eternity  weeps  about  him;  angels  of  grace 
draw  aside  the  veil  of  the  pit,  and  with  earnest  countenance  cry, 
"Escape  for  thy  life!"  If  he  looks  to  the  Bible,  he  has  no  pro- 
mise. If  he  thinks  of  mercy,  no  promise.  If  he  looks  to  the  end, 
there  is  the  falling  flood  and  its  dreadful  roar  ;  and  its  fearful  spraj-, 
and  its  havoc  of  apostate  mind,  in  the  boiling  depths  below,  but  no 
rainbow  of  promise.  He  reads  all  around  him  the  startling  in- 
scription, "  The  fear  of  the  wicked^  it  shall  come  uvon  himH'' 

III.  He  must  hope  for  heaven,  while  forming  a  character  for  pcrdi'- 
tio7i.  He  must  hope,  and  will  hope,  even  if  he  knows  his  hope 
will  do  no  good.  Heaven  is  the  only  place  of  final  rest  ;  if  he 
miss  it  he  is  lost,  undone  for  ever.  Holy  as  it  is,  and  much  as  he 
hates  holiness,  he  must  enter  there,  or  eternally  be  an  undone 
man.  No  man  can  bear  the  idea  of  confessed,  manifest,  public, 
and  hopeless,  irrecoverable  disgrace.  Every  man,  therefore,  clings 
to  the  idea  of  a  final  heaven,  as  long  as  he  can.  But  here  the 
sinner  has  a  hard  task.  His  supreme  selfishness  leads  him  to  hold 
on  upon  the  idea  of  rest  after  this  life,  but  that  very  selfishness 
is  making  his  failure  sure.  The  cords  of  habit  are  twined  all 
about  his  character;  they  are  not  threads  of  flax,  except  when  the 
Spirit  rends  them.  They  are  strong  cords  to  the  wearied  sinner, 
and  he  shall  be  holden  by  them,  if  he  will  continue  to  sin,  and  all 
the  joints  and  departments  of  his  character  will  be  fitly  compacted 
together,  to  make  it  the  meet  habitation  of  eternal  life.  It  is  hard 
work  while  these  formations  of  character  are  going  on,  for  a  soul 
to  be  shut  up  to  the  necessity  of  keeping  alive  a  hope  of  heaven, 
yet  this  the  sinner  must  perform. 

IV.  He  must  resist  Christ  without  a  cause.  He  is  supposed  im- 
penitent and  determined  on  continued  sin.  Exposed  to  endless 
death,  he  has  an  offer  of  Christ  and  salvation.  The  claims  of 
Christ  aro  not  only  just,  but  compassionate  and  benevolent.     If  he 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  301 

will  sin,  he  must  contend  against  the  Savior  in  the  very  interpo- 
sitions of  his  astonishing,  overwhelming,  agonizing  mercy.  This 
is  hard  work  for  the  conscience  ;  the  wheels  of  probation  drag 
heavily ;  their  voice  grates  fearfully ;  their  cry  of  retribution 
waxes  loud. 

V.  He  must  try  to  be  happy  while  guilty.  This  he  cannot  accom- 
plish, yet  he  must  try.  He  will  fail  in  every  attempt,  yet  he  must 
renew  the  trial.  If  he  will  not  repent  and  obtain  pardon  in  the 
blood  of  Christ,  then  he  must  retain  iiis  guilt,  and  feel  it  on  his 
conscience,  and  groan  under  it  as  it  continually  grows  heavier, 
while  he  must  struggle  for  peace.  The  nature  of  happines  renders 
his  efforts  necessary.  He  will  make  them,  and  will  always  fail. 
He  will  choose  a  thousand  phantoms  ;  he  will  grasp  after  every 
shadow;  he  will  be  stung  a  thousand  times,  yet  will  he  renew  the 
toil,  till  wearied,  hopeless,  and  sullen,  he  lies  down  to  die.  It  is 
hard  toil  to  do  what  a  guilty,  unbelieving  sinner  is  compelled  to 
do  in  trying  to  be  happy. 

VI.  He  must  have  enough  of  the  world  to  supply  the  place  of  God 
in  his  heart.  The  heart  must  have  a  supreme  object  ;  God  is  able 
to  fill  it.  On  him  the  intellect  may  dwell,  and  around  the  ever- 
expanding  developments  of  his  character,  the  affections,  like  gen- 
erous vines,  may  climb,  and  gather,  and  blossom,  and  hang  the 
ripe  cluster  of  joy  for  ever  ;  but  the  sinner  shuts  out  God,  every 
vision  of  his  character  is  torment,  and  he  turns  away  to  fill  the 
demands  of  his  heart  with  the  world.  He  has  commenced  a  thank- 
less task  ;  he  has  enlisted  in  a  severe  service.  The  whole  world, 
if  gained,  would  infinitely  fail,  yet  he  can  Sfain  but  little  of  it,  and 
that  little  is  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit.  Yet  painful  and  hope- 
less as  this  may  be,  the  sinner  must  toil  at  it  till  he  dies. 

VII.  He  must  arrange  matters  for  death,  while  he  is  afraid  to  think 
of  dying.  He  must  work  to  get  property  for  his  children  when  he 
is  gone.  He  must  put  his  business  in  a  train,  so  that  it  maybe 
settled  advantageously  when  he  is  gone.  He  must  do  all  this  on 
the  strength  and  under  the  impulse  of  an  idea  at  which  he  trembles. 

VIII.  He  must  read  the  Bible,  whilst  he  is  afraid  to  think  or  pray. 
This  is  especially  true  of  the  worldly-minded  professor.  If  he 
keeps  up  the  form  of  family  worship,  or  attends  at  the  house  of 
God,  the   Bible,  the  holy  and   accusing  book,  is   in  his  way.     Its 


302  SHORT    SERMONS,  OR  OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES. 

truths  lie  across  his  path.  He  cannot  turn  aside,  he  must  trample 
over  them,  while  he  beholds  them  under  his  feet.  He  knows  that 
his  footsteps  are  heard  around  the  retributive  throne.  If  driven 
to  console  himself  by  the  promises  of  error,  the  sinner  has  to  per- 
vert and  wrestle  with  the  Bible.  Its  denunciations  catch  his  eye, 
and  burn  him  while  he  tries  to  explain  them  away.  Its  promises 
turn  into  curses  within  his  soul,  as  he  attempts  to  incorporate 
them  in  his  hopes. 

CONCLUDING    THOUGHTS. 

1.  Have  we  no  compassion  for  a  suffering  worlds  How  little, 
Christian  brethren,  do  we  feel  for  the  wretched,  toiling,  dying 
sinner,  with  whom  we  associate  ;  for  the  fond  relative  with  whom 
we  mingle  affections  ;  for  the  multitudinous  mass  of  mind,  ruined, 
undone,  and  miserable,  that  are  ripening  all  around  us  for  endless 
woe  X 

2.  Can  we  do  nothing  to  relieve  this  miserable  condition  of  our 
fellow-men  %  We  can  do  much  if  we  will  only  feel  its  nature  and 
tendencies,  and  bear  it  before  a  compassionate  God.  If  we  will 
but  take  the  gospel,  and  lead  its  giant  motives  forth,  and  lean  upon 
the  Spirit's  power,  the  work  of  renovation,  of  redemption,  and  of 
joy  will  roll  on.  Every  day  cries  aloud,  and  all  around  us,  for 
our  awakening  to  duty.  The  time  for  God's  people  to  pray,  and 
awake,  and  endeavor  mightily,  is  now — and  with  most  of  us,  now 
or  never. 


No.    IV. 

LUKE    X.    11. 
Notwithstanding,  be  yc  sure  of  this,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh  unto  you. 

I.  What  is  meant  by  the  kingdom  of  God  1  Sometimes  the 
kingdom  of  God  means  the  place  of  the  blessed  in  heaven.  Some- 
times it  means  merely  the  visible  church.  Sometimes  it  seems  to 
mean  the  church  invisible,  or  the  collection  of  real  believers 
Sometimes,  as  in  the  text,  it  signifies  the  gospel  merely — which 
describes  the  king,  and  gives  us  the  laws  and  regulations  of  the 
kingdom,  and  permits  us  to  look  in  upon  the  very  seat  of  his  holy 
empire. 

II.  When  may  the  gospel,  which,  as  we  see,  means  the  kingdom  of 
God,  be  said  to  come  nigh  to  an  individual  or  a  people  ? 

A  material  object,  we  know,  may  come  within  a  greater  or  less 
distance — may  come  within  a  mile,  or  two,  or  ten.  It  may  come 
within  the  sight  of  the  eye,  or  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  or  the  reach 
of  the  arm. 

1.  So  the  gospel  may  come  to  a  near  or  a  more  remote  proxim- 
ity. It  may  come  within  the  hearing  of  the  ear.  To  many,  in 
heathen  lands,  it  has  never  made  this  approach :  they  have  only 
heard  of  the  gospel,  but  have  never  heard  the  gospel.  They  have 
heard  that  the  missionaries  have  come  to  other  portions  of  their 
dark  territory,  but  have  never  seen  them,  or  listened  themselves 
to  its  glad  accents.  No  messenger  of  eternal  life  has  ever  stood 
in  their  presence,  and  sounded  the  good  news.  They  have  never 
been  told  the  conditions  upon  which  salvation  is  offered  them,  or 
been  invited  to  come  to  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb 

To  all,  in  gospel  lands,  it  has  made  a  nearer  approach  ;  they 
have  heard  the  conditions  upon  which  mercy  is  offered  them,  and 
have  had  described  to  them  the  kingdom  of  God  in  all  its  fascina- 
tion and  in  all  its  glory. 

2.  It  makes  a  still  nearer  approach,  when  it  reaches  the  under- 
standing. Men  not  only  hear  the  gospel,  but  think  about  it,  and 
perhaps  become  speculative  believers  ;  and  possibly  even  profes- 
sors of  religion  ;  and  it  may  be,  even  sustain  a  good  Christian 
character,  when,  after  all,  the  gospel  may  never  have  approached 


304  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

them  but  to  this  second  degree  of  nearness.  It  has  passed  through 
the  ear,  and  lit  upon  the  understanding,  and  floats  upon  the  sur- 
face of  the  mind,  as  oil  upon  the  ocean,  without  exhibiting  any 
propensity  to  amalgamate. 

3.  The  gospel,  or  kingdom  of  God  makes  a  still  nearer  approach, 
when  it  passes  through  the  understanding,  and  reaches  the  con- 
science ;  and  there  it  holds  its  position,  and  preys  upon  the  con- 
science, which  may  be  subjected  to  a  more  or  less  severe  pressure, 
according  to  circumstances. 

If  a  husband  or  wife  is  subjected  to  the  sanctifying  influence  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  or  a  child  is  made  to  submit  to  the  power  that 
renders  him  a  new  creature  ;  then  it  is  that  the  truth  presses  upon 
the  conscience  with  a  force  unequalled  in  any  other  circumstances, 

But  we  must  stop  to  inquire, 

4.  Why  the  gospel  is  brought  thus  nigh  to  some  who  are  finally 
lost  1  This  is  the  nearest  approach  it  ever  makes  to  a  soul  that 
does  not  submit  to  its  overtures.  If  the  gospel  stays  here  long, 
the  sinner  must  become,  under  its  corroding  influence,  a  ciinning 
sinner.  He  must  thus  parry  every  point  of  truth  presented  in  the 
book  of  God,  until  finally,  he  becomes  a  hardened  sinner,  and  brow- 
beats the  anathemas  of  the  gospel  with  a  hardiness  that  is  veteran 
and  desperate.  Soon  it  will  render  him  a  caviling  sinner,  and 
adroit  at  parrying  every  thrust  it  makes  at  his  heart.  It  will  not  be 
long  in  rendering  him  a  wretched  sinner,  hardened  to  the  greatest 
degree  of  obduracy — as  when  one  is  represented  as  exposed  to  the 
lightnings  of  heaven,  until  his  flesh  is  hardened  to  the  intensity 
of  a  rock. 

But  several  important  points  are  now  in  a  process  'of  being  set- 
tled, while  the  sinner  is  held  in  this  condition,  and  truth  is  beating 
U])on  his  naked  soul. 

1.  It  settles  the  question,  How  depraved  the  heart  is.  It  has 
bcon  doubted  whether  the  heart  be  totally  depraved,  and  whether 
the  charncter  of  God  might  not  be  so  exhibited  that  it  would  love 
him  without  bemg  regenerated. 

But  when  the  gospel  is  brought  thus  nigh,  and  falls  upon  the  ear, 
and  passes  through  the  understanding,  and  presses  upon  the  con- 
science, and  is  held  there  for  a  time,  then  it  is  that  a  man  sees 
what  he  is,  and  others  see  what  he  is;  and  that  important  question 
is  settled,  that  men  have  spoken  and  done  evil  things  as  they 
could. 

In  the  meantime,  we  learn — 

)l.  Whether  all  men  arc  equally  depraved.     It  has  been  acknow- 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  305 

ledged  that  some  men  are  totally  depraved,  but  has  been  denied  that 
all  are  so.  It  has  been  asserted  that  some  only  need  to  be  sub- 
jected to  the  bleaching  influence  of  the  gospel  to  be  made  white 
again. 

But  here  the  question  is  for  ever  settled,  for  the  mildest  of  men, 
and  even  females  of  lovely  character,  have  needed  the  same  pow- 
erful regeneration  to  make  them  new  creatures,  and  bring  them 
to  dutj-,  holiness,  and  heaven.  And  in  many  of  our  revivals  of 
relicrion,  we  can  find  cases  in  which  individuals  of  the  mildest 
temperament  have  been  waked  up  to  a  kind  of  madness,  by  the  conr 
victing  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  until  their  friends  have  even 
been  afraid  to  enter  their  apartments  while  they  were  raving  under 
this  full  blaze  of  Gospel  light,  as  one  would  loathe  to  enter  a  den 
mad  wolves.  Thus  the  question  is  settled,  that  however  mild  and 
amiable  a  m;m  may  be  by  nature,  he  needs  the  same  renovating 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  make  him  a  new  creature. 

Another  very  important  question  is  now  settled — ■ 

3.  That  God  must  change  the  heart,  and  that  it  cannot  be  done 
by  the  influence  of  mere  moral  suasion.  For  all  kinds  of  means 
have  been  used,  and  motives  presented  to  the  sinner  without  effect, 
till  the  time  came  when  God  would  make  him  willing  in  the  day 
of  his  power.  But  it  seems  easy  when  God  undertakes,  for  al- 
though he  seems  to  draw  the  sinner  as  if  he  would  not  come,  he 
seems  now  to  run  as  if  he  had  not  been  drawn. 

Another  question  is  now  settled — 

4.  That  God  is  sincere  in  offering  mercy.  That  has  always 
been  more  or  less  doubted  by  the  sinner,  till  at  last  the  question  is 
settled,  that  as  soon  as  he  is  made  willing,  he  becomes  a  new 
creature  in  Christ  Jesus.  Old  things  are  passed  away,  and  all 
thinsrs  become  new. 


No.   V. 

EZEKIEL   XXXIII.    11. 

Why  will  ye  die  1 

The  doctrine  of  this  text  seems  to  be,  that  man  is  bent  on  his 
own  destruction  ;  that  he  is  determined  on  a  course  of  sin,  which, 
according  to  his  own  conviction,  must  end  in  his  everlasting  ruin. 

We  may  premise  on  this  subject,  that  the  death  here  intended, 
cannot  mean  natural  death ;  for  to  this  men  are  averse  by  nature. 
No  man  will  die  till  he  must.  All  that  a  man  has  will  he  give  for 
his  life.  Nor  can  it  mean  spiritual  death  ;  for  all  men  love  to  be 
spiritually  dead.  Nor  would  God  ask  the  question  respecting  this 
death. 

It  must  therefore  mean  eternal  death.  It  is  strange  that  such  a 
sentence  as  this  should  ever  have  dropped  from  the  lips  of  the 
Savior;  for  the  doctrine  means  to  imply,  that  man  has  entered 
upon  a  course  that  must  end  in  his  everlasting  ruin,  and  this  know- 
ingly and  designedly,  for, 

I.  Men  break  the  law  of  God,  knowing  that  the  penalty  of  break- 
ing this  law  is  their  everlasting  ruin.  If  a  man  should  pass  through 
the  streets,  plunging  a  dagger  into  the  heart  of  every  one  he  met 
with,  if  we  had  evidence  that  he  had  his  reason,  we  should  say 
that  he  meant  to  tempt  the  law  to  do  its  best  for  his  destruction. 
Nor  would  men  say  that  we  reasoned  hardly  on  this  subject. 
Death  would  lie  so  immediately  in  the  train  of  his  misdeeds,  that 
it  would  seem  impossible  that  any  mind  should  disassociate  them. 
We  should  all  look  forward  with  horror  to  the  day  of  his  execu- 
tion, and  say  that  he  approaches  that  period  as  certainly  as  any 
one  thing  can  follow  another. 

II.  We  should  say  the  same  truth  is  manifest  from  the  fact  that 
sinners  reject  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  medium  of  their  pardon  and 
their  salvation.  If  one  had  broken  the  law  of  man,  and  should  re- 
fuse to  receive  pardon  from  the  hands  of  his  chief  magistrate,  al- 
though  he  should  go  daily  to  his  prison,  and  offer  that  pardon, 
and  solicit  his  acceptance,  we  should  say  that  he  intends  to  die. 
If  the  conditions  were  that  he  should  receive  that  pardon  at  the 


SHORT    SERMONS,    OR    OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  307 

hands  of  the  chief  magistrate,  with  due  acknowledgments,  and 
without  any  necessary  degradation,  we  should  say  that  he  not  only 
intends,  but  deserves  to  die. 

III.  From  other  facts,  it  is  evident  that  sinners  are  determined 
to  die,  inasmuch  as  they  reject  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
the  only  power  that  can  make  them  clean,  and  take  their  feet  out 
of  the  horrible  pit  and  miry  clay,  and  set  them  upon  a  rock.  If 
one  had  fallen  into  a  deep  cavern,  and  there  was  but  one  ear  that 
could  hear,  and  but  one  arm  that  could  save,  and  he  should  refuse 
to  be  aided  by  that  arm,  we  should  say  that  he  certainly  means 
his  own  destruction. 

IV.  The  same  truth  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  men  are  going 
on  to  form  a  character  for  perdition,  when  they  know  that  a  to- 
tally different  character  is  requisite  to  fit  them  for  heaven. 

Now  wh  it  man  is  not  convinced  that  the  wicked  are  forming 
such  a  character,  and  thus  courting  such  a  destiny  1  To  hope 
that  they  may  be  congregated  with  the  blessed  in  heaven,  while 
yet  they  are  making  rapid  strides  towards  perdilion,  and  drawing 
sin  with  cords  of  vanity  and  iniquity,  as  it  were  with  a  cart  rope, 
is  to  exhibit  an  absurdity  that  belongs  only  to  the  wayward  and 
the  lost.  Their  whole  character  contains  a  high  promise  of  the 
blackness  of  darkness  for  ever. 

I  proceed  to  the  second  inquiry,  why  will  ye  die  1  There  must 
be  some  secret  reason  why  men  pursue  a  course  like  this.  Per- 
haps the  preacher  may  have  permission  to  look  into  the  matter, 
and  know  what  these  reasons  are  ;  and  to  help  you  to  judge  whe- 
ther they  will  stand  the  test  at  the  last  day,  I 

REMARK, 

1.  Will  it  prove  you  bi-ave  to  dare  the  Eternal  to  his  face  1 — to 
rush  upon  the  thick  bosses  of  Jehovah's  buckler,  and  browbeat 
the  sacred  and  terrible  anathemas  of  the  whole  law  and  the  whole. 
gospeH.  Would  a  man  rush  into  the  mouth  of  a  cannon  or  leap 
into  the  crater  of  Vesuvius,  to  show  himself  brave  1  Would  he 
not  thus  evince  himself  a  natural  fool  1 

2.  Will  it  prove  you  wise  to  place  so  small  a  value  upon  the 
soul,  and  expose  it  to  endless  ruinl  Would  it  not  place  you  too 
by  the  side  of  him  who  sold  all  the  honors  of  his  birthright  for  a 
mess  of  pottage  \  To  thus  forfeit  your  seat  in  heaven,  and  your 
part  in  the  song  of  redeeming  grace  which  will  be  sung  eternally 
in  heaven,  will  it  prove  you  wise  at  whatever  price  you  do  it  1 


308  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR    OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES. 

3.  Let  me  inquire  whether  it  will  prove  you  good  1  0,  can  a 
good  being  place  so  little  value  upon  the  glory  of  the  Eternal,  and 
put  !«o  low  a  value  upon  the  blood  of  Christ !  Then  let  it  not  be  told 
in  Gath,  nor  published  in  the  streets  of  Askelon !  How  dreadful 
will  it  prove  that  sinners  have  heard  such  a  gospel  !  Will  not  the 
shade  of  every  Sabbath,  and  the  remembered  offer  of  mercy,  prick 
up  your  conscience  to  everlasting  recollection,  and  pain,  and  mi- 
sery, at  the  remembrance  of  all  thisl  Will  this  not  rush  upon 
the  stillness  and  darkness  of  the  pit,  like  the  ghosts  of  night,  and 
haunt  your  soul  for  ever  with  painful  and  corroding  recollections'? 
Other  beings  as  well  as  you  will  have  a  great  interest  in  your  fu- 
ture reputation,  and  the  bliss  that  shall  hang  upon  that  reputation, 
through  everlasting  ages.  You  ought  to  know,  that  when  your 
character  shall  be  developed  in  the  last  day,  it  should  be  such 
as  not  to  shame  your  parentage,  and  oblige  them  to  hide  in  a 
corner,  while  you  pass  in  review  before  assembled  worlds.  I 
remember  to  have  been  very  much  affected,  when  the  British 
Government  began  to  banish  their  convicts  to  the  island  of  New 
Holland,  with  the  fact  that  they  were  ashamed  to  carry  with  them 
the  same  name  in  which  they  had  committed  their  felonies,  and 
done  the  deed,  that  put  them  out  of  the  civilized  world  for  ever. 
Hence  they  universally  changed  their  names,  that  they  might,  if 
possible,  not  suffer  under  the  same  name  they  had  borne  before. 
O,  how  dreadful,  that  we  should  thus  oblige  ourselves  and  our 
friends  to  change  our  names,  in  which  we  committed  our  crimes, 
and  fell  under  the  condemnation  of  the  law !  Will  it  not  stand 
out  to  view  for  ever,  that  the  very  name  is  tainted  under  which 
we  committed  our  outrages  against  the  law  and  the  gospel,  and 
made  it  a  curse  that  we  would  gladly  be  rid  of  1  Why,  devils 
will  be  ashamed  of  you,  when  they  shall  know  that  you  were 
bro'ight  up  to  all  this  mercA^  and  then  sunk  to  this  marked  degra- 
dation in  the  caverns  of  despair  ! 


No.  VI. 
FOR    THE  MONTHLY  CONCERT. 

PSALM  L.   21. 
TIlou  thnuglitest  that  I  was  altogether  such  an  one  as  thyself;  but  I  will  reprove  thcf ,  and 
set  them  in  order  bulore  thine  eyes. 

In  the  form  that  men  give  their  idols,  they  show  what  should  be 
the  character  of  the  Supreme  God,  if  they  might  shape  him  to  their 
own  likeness.  The  thing  that  God  here  complains  of  is  this,  that  his 
creatures  would  think  him  just  such  an  one  as  themselves.  But  he 
assures  them  that  he  would  set  their  sin  in  this  matter  before  their 
eyes,  and  teach  them  to  judge  more  correctly,  and  value  more 
highly  their  Supreme  Deity.  The  attributes  with  which  they  in- 
vest him,  are  the  attributes  with  which  they  would  invest  the  ob- 
ject of  their  supreme  worship,  if  he  would  shape  himself  to  their 
image.  If  they  have  given  him  angels'  form,  they  would  exalt 
him  to  the  rank  of  angels.  And  if  mere  human  being,  they  would 
invest  him  only  with  human  intelligence.  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
they  have  given  their  idol  the  form  of  a  beast  that  eateth  grass  ;  if 
they  have  made  him  an  ox  or  a  calf,  or  if  they  have  made  him  a 
serpent  or  a  reptile,  this  shows  that  they  would  confer  upon  the 
object  of  their  devotion  no  intelligence.  And  to  go  one  step 
further,  if  they  have  given  him  the  form  of  a  Satan,  we  thus  descry 
that  they  would  have  their  God  sunk  to  a  level  with  this  grade  of 
being.  And  if  they  have  thrown  off  all  reserve,  and  made  him  a 
devil,  how  natural  is  it  to  suppose  that  they  would  shape  the  God 
they  now  worship  "  to  the  Prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spi- 
rit that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience,  among  whom 
we  all  had  our  conversation  in  times  past,  fulfilling  the  desires  of 
the  flesh  and  of  the  mind,  and  being  by  nature  children  of  wrath, 
even  as  others."  *  Thus  men  will  ever  shape  their  god  to  their 
liking  ;  and  if  we  can  discover  what  errors  the  heathen  have  made 
on  this  subject,  we  can  know  precisely  what  would  be  the  shape  of 
the  deity  they  would  place  upon  the  throne.     And 

I.  We  know  that  they  have  excluded  God  from  his  own  world. 
They  are  uniformly  idolaters,  in  every  kingdom  and  nation  found 
under  the  heavens.     If  one   nation  could  have   been  found   that 


310  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

were  worshipers  of  the  true  God,  we  should  have  doubted  whether 
they  had  not  escaped  the  fall. 

II.  We  should  gather  from  their  story,  as  far  as  it  has  reached 
our  ear,  that  the  gods  they  worship  are  a  set  of  senseless  beings — 
mere  wood  and  stone.  We  have  collected  some  of  their  gods 
from  heathen  territory,  who  are  as  uncouth  and  unsightly  and  dis- 
proportioned  a  set  of  senseless  beings  as  the  human  mind  can  con- 
cieve  of.  We  know  they  have  worshiped  mere  leeks  and  onions, 
and  the  crocodile  of  the  Nile  has  long  been  an  object  of  supreme 
adoration.  "They  made  a  calf  in  Horeb,  and  worshiped  the 
molten  image." 

III.  When  they  did  give  their  gods  any  moral  intelligence  at  all, 
they  made  them  debauched  and  profligate  to  the  last  degree.  They 
had  their  revels  and  cabals  in  their  factious  heaven.  On  one  oc- 
casion, I  remember,  one  of  their  gods  is  famed  to  have  been  thrown 
to  the  earth,  and  to  have  employed  his  time  afterwards,  in  forging 
thunderbolts  for  Jupiter.  Now  what  could  we  expect  of  a  people 
who  would  thus  degrade  their  supreme  deities,  and  render  them 
altogether  such  beings  as  themselves,  entering  into  folly,  lust,  and 
drunkenness,  and  every  species  of  crime  1 

IV.  They  went  still  further,  and  made  them  devils.  There  are 
a  number  of  the  African  tribes  who  worship  the  very  devil  him- 
self. Thus  the  supreme  object  of  their  worship  is  the  very  spirit 
that  now  "  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience." 

REMARKS. 

1.  Shall  we  not  pity  a  race  of  beings  so  deluded  and  spoiled 
and  ensnared  by  their  own  philosophy  1 

2.  Shall  we  esteem  any  sacrifices  too  great  to  be  made,  if  we 
can  buy  them  off  from  such  delusion,  and  cause  them  to  look  up- 
ward, and  lay  hold  on  eternal  life  \ 

3.  Should  the  business  of  building  a  world  loom  up  before  us 
with  more  mightiness  of  enterprise  than  the  redemption  of  a  world, 
already  built,  from  the  deadly  plagues  of  sin?  I  would  not  fly  as 
swiftly,  nor  labor  as  industriously  to  extinguish  the  flames  of  a 
burning  world,  as  to  rescue  from  a  calamity  so  much  more  disas- 
trous to  the  heathen  millions  that  are  going  down  in  one  unbroken 
mass  to  the  blackness  of  darkness  for  ever.  I  would  not  cry  as 
loudly   to  wake  up  a  sleeping   village  to   danger  of  being    swept 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOtTRSES.  311 

away  by  a  stream  of  lava,  at  the  foot  a  glowing  Etna,  or  a  laboring 
Vesuvius. 

4.  Will  not  the  pious  youth  have  their  farms  sold,  and  pawn 
their  merchandise,  that  promised  them  merely  temporal  blessings, 
that  they  may  enter  upon  a  mightier  enterprise  of  rescuing  from 
the  slavery  of  sin  a  world  that  has  ruined  iiself '? 


No.    VII. 

JEREMIAH    VIII.    22. 

I8  there  no  balm  in  Gilead  1  Is  there  no  physician  there  1  Why  then  is  not  the  health  of  the  daugh- 
ter of  my  peoi>lc'  recovered  1 

A  PENSIVE  and  distressed  father,  that  had  just  left  the  sick  bed 
of  a  beloved  daughter,  and  was  wandering  through  the  streets  in 
all  the  dejection  of  grief,  and  all  the  solitude  which  is  not  easily 
thrown  off,  in  the  hour  of  her  agony,  may  easily  be  supposed  to 
have  uttered  himself  in  the  language  of  the  text. 

And  if  we  may  suppose  that  she  had  been  long  subjected  to  the 
want  of  a  physician  and  a  nurse,  while  death  must  now  ensue  as  a 
consequence  of  that  neglect,  while  there  was  a  remedy  at  hand, 
and  a  physician  hard  by ;  but  there  was  none  at  hand  to  call  in 
that  physician,  or  to  apply  that  balm,  by  the  application  of  which 
she  might  have  been  restored  to  health,  joy,  and  life. 

One  would  grieve  to  hear  the  solitary  moan  of  such  a  father,  and 
haste  to  know  if  it  is  altogether  too  late  to  call  in  the  kind  and 
timely  physician. 

It  is  probably  true  that  Gilead  abounded  with  a  balm  that,  in  a 
great  many  cases,  proved  a  sovereign  remedy  to  some  diseases 
that  prevailed  in  Jerusalem,  called  here,  and  elsewhere,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Zion.  Here,  it  may  be,  is  asked  a  fiuestion  which  has  rela- 
tion to  the  whole  human  family,  and  bearing  upon  the  natural  dis- 
ease of  the  soul,  and  is  equivalent  to  asking,  ^^re  not  the  means  am- 
ple and  ready  for  the  healing  of  the  plague  of  sin  in  the  human  fa- 
mily ?  Why  then  are  they  not  applied^  and  spiritual  health  miniver- 
sally  recovered  ? 

Of  course,  the  subject  divides  itself  into  two  heads.  I  shall  be 
led  to  speak  first  of  the  disease,  and  then  of  the  remedy. 


312  *  SHORT    SERMOiNS,    OR 

I.  In  the  first  place,  I  would  say  of  the  disease,  that  it  is  one  of 
universal  application. 

There  has  been  no  nation  found,  that  is  not  totally  depraved. 
They  all  practised  a  gross  and  God-provoking  idolatry.  They 
made  their  idols  as  stupid  and  as  devilish  as  they  could,  practising 
as  gross  a  perversion  of  their  Supreme  Deity  as  possible,  and  then 
they  practised  upon  man  all  the  outrages  that  a  perverted  intellect 
could  contrive.  The  false  religion  of  the  world  was  a  bloody,  and 
adulterous,  and  cruel,  and  faithless,  and  imposing  religion,  in  all 
its  acts. 

I  now  intend  the  very  highest  charge  that  can  be  brought  against 
the  human  family,  equivalent  to  that  charge  brought  against  us  by 
Him  who  knows  well  what  is  in  man — "  Thou  hast  spoken  and 
done  evil  things  as  thou  couldest." 

II.  This  disease  is,  of  all  others,  the  most  contagious.  It  has 
been  communicated  through  the  wide  world,  and  gone  into  every 
little  ramification  of  every  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven. 

When  we  find  a  nation  that  we  have  never  known  before,  we 
find  them  universally  infected  with  the  pillage  of  sin.  Hence, 
"from  the  crown  of  the  head,  even  unto  the  feet,  they  are  full  of 
Avounds,  and  bruises,  and  putrefying  sores." 

The  prevailing  plague  has  spread  through  the  human  family  an 
amount  of  misery  that  cannot  be  easily  calculated.  It  poisons  all 
the  human  relations,  and  mars  every  human  compact ;  and,  first 
of  all,  man's  covenant  with  his  God.  The  result  of  this  is,  that  it 
has  filled  and  loaded  him  with  misery  to  the  full,  and  all  nature 
"  groans  and  travails  to  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corrup- 
tion, and  be  brought  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God." 

Nor  can  it  be  hoped  that  this  result,  devoutly  to  be  wished  for, 
will  ever  be  accomplished,  till  Christ  shall  come  the  second  time 
"  withoift  sin  unto  salvation,"  and  "  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea."  Here  we 
might  expatiate  largely  upon  the  miseries  of  sin,  but  I  pass  to  the 
question — 

III.  Why  is  not  the  plague  healed  "?  "Is  there  no  balm  in  Gile- 
ad  !  is  there  no  physician  there  1  Why  then  is  not  the  health  of 
the  daughter  of  my  people  recovered  1" 

In  answering  this  question,  I  should  choose  to  say, 
1.  Sinners  are  not  sensible  that  they  are  the  subjects  of  this  de- 
plorable disease.     They   say,  We  "  are  whole,  and  have  no  need 


OUTLINES   OF    DISCOURSES.  318, 

of  a  physician  ;  "  and  "  know  not  that  they  are  wretched,  and  mi- 
serable, and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked."  The  first  object  of  a 
preached  gospel  is  to  convince  them  of  this  fact.  They  have  no 
experience  that  can  test  this  question  at  all.  They  have  never 
known  what  health  was,  having  always  been  in  this  same  deplora- 
ble condition  ;  except  that  the  plague  has  been  gradually  becom- 
ing worse  and  worse,  till,  at  length,  it  has  produced  a  kind  of  de- 
lirium, that  has  blunted  the  sensibility  of  consciousness,  and  ren- 
dered man  blind  to  the  spots  of  the  plague  that  are  upon  him. 

2.  If  to  any  extent  they  are  conscious  of  their  condition,  they 
love  the  very  disease  that  cleaves  to  them.  How  then  can  it  be 
hoped  that  they  will  take  the  least  pains  to  rid  themselves  of  a 
pestilence  that  has  as  yet  given  them  no  pain,  and  they  have  known 
no  disgrace  that  has  accrued  to  them  from  having  the  plague  upon 
them. 

They  are  not  sent  to  live  in  a  house  by  themselves,  as  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  used  to  be  when  they  had  the  leprosy,  or  as  men  are 
now  when  affected  with  the  plague. 

If  men  are  affected  with  a  disposition  to  do  wickedly,  it  attaches 
no  disgrace  to  them,  not  as  it  will  be  in  the  judgment  day,  not  as 
it  is  when  men  become  "  ashamed  and  confounded,  and  never  open 
their  mouths  any  more,  because  of  their  shame,  when  God  becomes 
pacified  towards  them  for  all  that  they  have  done." 

3.  Another  reason  that  men  are  not  healed  is,  that  they  do  not 
love  the  Physician. 

He  is  to  them  a  "  root  out  of  a  dry  ground,  without  form  or 
comeliness." 

It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  men  will  apply  to  the  Savior,  how- 
ever afflicted,  till  they  feel  their  need  of  him. 

IIow  much  pains  will  parents  take  to  have  their  children  know 
and  love  their  family  physician,  lest,  when  attacked  with  disease, 
they  should  be  shy  of  his  approach,  and  suffer,  before  they  will  al- 
low him  to  come  nigh  them.  But  when  sinners  see  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  to  be  "  chief  among  ten  thousand,  and  altogether  lovely," 
they  rush  to  his  arms,  and  are  rather  glad  to  be  sick,  that  they 
may  employ  such  a  royal  physician. 

4.  They  do  not  love  the  price  at  which  they  can  be  healed.  It 
must  be  with  Christ  a  mere  gratuitous  healing. 

Men  must  come  to  him  without  money,  and  then  it  will  be  with- 
out price.  The  sinner  must  just  give  himself  into  the  hands  of 
Christ,  to  be  healed  in  his  own  way.     Which  leads  me  to  say, 

VOL.  II.  40 


314  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

5.  Sinners  do  not  relish  the  manner  of  the  application.  They 
are  ready,  say  they,  as  one  who  came  in  old  times  to  the  prophet 
of  Israel.  "  Are  not  Abana  and  Pharpar,  rivers  of  Damascus,  bet- 
ter than  all  the  waters  of  Israel  1  Why  may  I  not  wash  in  them 
and  be  clean  1  "     Thus  sinners  complain  of  the  application. 

This  deep  repentance,  and  this  being  healed  by  faith,  destroys 
all  human  agency  and  contrivance,  and  gives  God  all  the  glory. 


No.  VIII. 

ISAIAH  II.   22. 

Cease  ye  from  man,  whose  breath  is  in  liis  nostrils ;  for  wherein  is  he  to  be  accounted  of? 

Man  can  give  no  good  account  of  himself,  nor  can  his  fellows 
give  a  good  account  of  him,  nor  has  his  Maker  any  better  account 
to  give  of  him — "The  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  whole  heart 
faint."  We  do  not  wonder  at  God's  account  of  him — "  Thou  hast 
spoken  and  done  evil  things  as  thou  couldest." 

Man  is  the  most  unaccountable  creature  in  all  the  creation  of 
God — absurd  in  all  his  movements 

I.  He  is  entirely  limited  in  his  powers,  "  is  of  yesterday,  and 
knows  nothing,"  and  yet  is  a  proud  and  self-sufficient  being,  who 
will  not  yield  to  be  instructed,  of  even  the  Lord  of  hosts. 

II.  He  is  a  being  of  so  little  might,  that  he  is  said  to  be  "  crush- 
ed before  the  moth,"  and  yet  "helifteth  his  mouth  against  the 
heavens,  and  his  tongue  walketh  through  the  earth."  "He  rushes 
upon  the  thick  bosses  of  Jehovah's  buckler,"  and  impudently  in- 
quires, "  Who  is  the  Lord,  that  1  should  serve  him  1" 

III.  He  is  the  only  accountable  creature,  and  the  only  careless  one. 
He  knows  that  he  must  stand  before  the  bar  of  God,  and  be  judg- 
ed for  all  the  deeds  done  here  in  the  body,  and  yet  is  heard  to 
say,  "Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die." 

IV.  He  is  the  only  reasoning  creature,  and  the  yet  only  one  that 
acts  unreasonably.  He  can  look  at  the  face  of  the  sky  and  know 
the  signs  of  the  times,  and  yet  permits  the  dread  concerns  of  eter- 
nity to  close  in  upon  him,  unheeded,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 
He  is  crying,  Peace,  peace,  till  the  moment  when  sudden  destruc- 
tion comes  upon  him,  as  travail  upon  a  woman  with  child. 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  315 

v.  He  is  the  only  probationer  for  eternity,  and  yet  the  only  be- 
mg  prodigal  of  time.  He  only  needs,  and  has  invented  pastimes 
— things  to  kill  time.  And  yet  when  he  is  considered  in  connec- 
tion with  the  things  he  is  constrained  to  contemplate,  time  is  to 
him  eternity. 

VI.  He  only  is  capable  of  looking  at  the  heavens,  and  has  re- 
ceived from  them  mercies  innumerable,  "'new  every  morning,  and 
fresh  every  evening,"  and  yet  he  is  the  only  being  of  all  the  crea- 
tures of  God  who  is  unthankful.  He  only  is  proud  of  what  en- 
slaves and  degrades  him.  He  only  is  vain  of  what  is  loaned  him, 
covetous  of  what  is  not  his  own,  and  what  he  must  quit  so  soon. 


1.  How  evidently  is  man  in  a  state  of  pain  ;  had  his  soul  retain- 
ed moral  health,  he  would  not  have  been  liable  to  all  this  absurdity 
of  moral  movement. 

2.  How  lamentably  slow  is  the  work  of  renovation  seen  to  be 
going  on  in  the  believer  !  When  will  he  ever  be  what  God  would 
have  him  to  be  1 

3.  How  mad  are  men  to  suppose  that  any  thing,  less  than  rege- 
neration, can  make  man  a  correct  being. 

4.  How  tnad  is  man  who  trusteth  in  his  own  heart.  The  scrip- 
tures pronounce  him  a  fool. 

If  men  may  put  no  confidence  in  one  another,  they  put  none  in 
themselves.  Man  may  be  deceived  and  ruined  while  he  thinks  he 
has  a  sure  guide. 


No.  IX. 

HEBREWS    X.    31. 
It  is  a  fearful  tiling  to  fall  into  tlie  hands  of  the  living  God. 

Why  will  it  be  so  fearful  a  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
living  God  1 

Not  because  he  is  not  the  kindest  being  in  the  universe,  and  too 
just  to  do  wrong  to  any  being.  "  He  is  merciful  and  gracious, 
slow  to  anger,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth.*' 

But  the  text  does  not  mean  to  say,  that  sinners  are  not  now  in 
the  hands  of  the  living  God,  but  has  allusion  to  the  time  when  he 
will  make  them  the  subjects  of  his  vindictive  wrath  ;  when  he  will 
display  his  hatred  of  their  character  in  their  everlasting  destruc- 
tion. 

Why  will  it  be  so  fearful  a  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
living  God  ? 

I.  Because  he  suffers  his  wrath  to  accumulate. 

Men  inflict  vengeance  as  soon  as  they  begin  to  be  angry.  They 
punish  when  their  "  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little,"  perhaps  when 
but  one  act  of  aggression  has  been  committed. 

God  waits  long.  The  iniquity  of  the  Canaanites  was  not  yet 
full.  He  waited  in  the  old  world,  after  the  decree  to  destroy  it  had 
gone  out,  one  hundred  and  twenty  years. 

II.  Because  delays  to  punish  do  not  at  all  neutralize  his  anger. 
'Men  sometimes  forget  the  deed  that  enraged  them,  and  become 

quite  pacified  after  having  been  angry,  although  they  have  not  ta- 
ken vengeance. 

"  Because  sentence  against  an  evil  work  is  not  executed  speedi- 
ly, therefore  the  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  fully  set  in  them  to  do 
evil." 

III.  Because,  while  he  delays  to  punish,  he  continues  the  means 
of  grace,  and  thus  shows  himself  willing  not  to  inflict  the  deserved 
wrath. 

"0  that  thou  hadst  hearkened  unto  my  commandments,  then 
had  thy  peace  been  as  a  river,  and  thy  righteousness  as  the  waves 
of  the  sea." 


SHORT    SERMONS.  317 

IV.  While  he  waits  on  the  sinner,  he  continues  to  him  the  wont- 
ed indulgences  of  his  providence.  He  feeds  his  enemies  while  he 
is  wailing  the  hour  of  their  execution,  and  he  often  waits  very  long. 

V.  While  he  waits,  he  gives  no  intimation  that  he  continues 
angry. 

The  sinner  would  not  know  by  any  mere  token  of  divine  wrath, 
that  God  had  marked  him  out  for  destruction. 

VI.  Because  he  fixes  no  set  bounds  to  his  indulgences. 

One  he  bears  with  a  longer  time,  another  a  shorter — condemns 
one  at  the  age  of  twenty,  another  at  the  age  of  forty,  and  another 
at  the  age  of  sixty. 

VII.  The  longer  he  waits,  the  less  hope  there  is  of  forgiveness. 
It  is  otherwise  with  men  ;  if  they  delay  vengeance,  we  hope  they 

have  forgotten  their  wrath — not  so  with  God. 

VIII.  Because  he  always  produces  conviction  of  desert  whenhe 
punishes. 

It  is  often  otherwise  with  men.  They  are  sometimes  convicted 
and  condemned  while  innocent. 

IX.  When  he  punishes,  it  is  always  a  final  and  complete  destruc- 
tion.    Wrath  shall  come  upon  them  to  the  uttermost. 

X.  It  will  be  jealousy  when  he  punishes,  and  no  wrath  is  so 
dreadful.     It  is  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb.     Jealousy  is  love  soured. 

XI.  He  is  the  living  God! 

No  idea  can  be  more  dreadful.  He  lives  to  finish  the  wrath  he 
began  to  inflict.     He  will  eternally  be  alive  to  punish. 

REMARKS. 

1.  How  amazing  is  the  supineness  of  the  sinner,  who  must  so 
soon  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God! 

2.  How  yet  more  amazing  their  mirth  and  jollity — dancing  in 
their  chains ' 

3.  How  astonishing  the  indifl"erence  of  believers  !  They  would 
feel  serious  at  the  prison  grates  of  some  convict  that  must  die  a 
natural  death  as  soon  as  many  around  them  must  die  eternally. 

4.  If  this  subject  is  so  solemn  and  dreadful  in  its  application  to 
sinners  in  general,  how  much  more  dreadful  must  it  be  in  applica- 
tion to  those  who  have  set  out  for  heaven,  and  then  drawn  back  to 
perdition  !  Such  .vill  be  convicted  of  having  "  trodden  under  foot 
the  Son  of  God,"  in  a  peculiar  and  terrible  sense,  "and  put  him  to 
an  open  shame." 


No.  X. 

GALATIANS    IV.    15. 
Where  is  tlieii  the  blessedness  ye  spake  of  1 

Paul  had  preached  the  gospel  to  the  Galatians,  had  been  the 
means  of  turning  nianj'^  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  drawn  toward 
himself  their  strong  attachment. 

If  it  had  been  possible,  he  says,  they  would  have  plucked  out 
their  own  eyes  and  given  to  him.  But  he  had  now  become  theit 
enemy  because  he  told  them  the  truth. 

But  the  great  calamity  was,  that  while  they  had  become  cold  in 
their  affections  towards  their  spiritual  father,  they  had  also  de- 
clined in  their  affections  towards  Jesus  Christ,  and  there  was  need 
that  he  be  formed  again  in  them  the  hope  of  glory. 

But  as  no  scripture  is  of  private  interpretation,  the  subject  will 
lead  me  to  inquire  of  believers,  "  Where  is  then  the  blessedness 
ye  spake  of."  What  cause  has  there  been,  and  what  excuse  can 
be  offered,  for  a  decline  of  Christian  affection,  since  the  time  of 
your  espousals  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  1 

That  there  has  been  a  decline  in  the  warmth  of  feeling  and 
and  promptness  of  action,  since  the  day  of  your  covenant  with 
God,  it  is  presumed  no  one  will  require  us  to  prove. 

The  only  inquiry  that  must  be  made,  is  into  the  cause  or  ground 
of  this  decline. 

I.  Is  not  Jehovah  the  same  great  and  good  being  he  was  when 
you  gave  him  your  whole  heart,  and  covenanted  to  be  his  for  ever  1 
And  does  he  not  govern  the  world  on  the  same  principles  of 
grace  and  mercy  by  Jesus  Christ  1  And  does  he  not  foster  the 
church  with  the  same  care  and  kindness  he  did  when  you  first  took 
sanctuary  in  her  bowers  1  Has  there  been  any  correspondent 
cooling  of  affection  in  the  bosom  of  the  angels,  and  the  "spirits 
of  just  men  made  perfect,"  towards  Jehovah  1  Is  he  not  as  nigh 
to  you,  and  as  necessary,  as  when  you  first  diccovered  that  the 
world  was  full  of  God  !  "Should  you  ascend  up  to  heaven,  is  he 
not  there'?  Should  you  make  your  bed  in  hell,  is  he  not  there  1 
Is  not  his  favor  life,  nd  his  loving  kindness  better  than  life  1" 
If  plunged  into  trials,  are  you  not  still  obliged  to  say,  "  The  Lord 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  319 

Ijveth,  and  the  Lord  reigneth,  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord"  1 
Will  you  not  say,  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee,  and  who  is 
there  on  earth  I  desire  beside  thee  1"  Would  you  not  say  in  the 
hour  of  onset,  "  If  it  had  not  been  for  the  Lord  who  was  on  our 
side  when  men  rose  up  against  us,  then  they  had  swallowed  us  up 
quickly,  when  their  wrath  was  kindled  against  us."  Why,  then, 
any  change  in  your  affection  towards  the  great  God  1  "  Where 
is  then  the  blessedness  ye  spake  of  I" 

II.  And  what  grand  change  has  there  been  in  your  views  or  af- 
fections towards  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  1  It  is  as  true  now,  as  then, 
that  he  died  for  you,  and  still  intercedes  for  you.  His  blood  is 
still  the  basis  of  your  pardon  and  the  ground  of  your  acceptance  ; 
and  your  hope  and  communion  with  him  is  as  sweet  as  ever.  The 
redeemed  in  heaven  have  none  of  them  lost  their  confidence  in 
him.  You  did  not,  in  the  time  of  your  espousals,  overrate  his 
merits,  or  value  too  highly  his  love,  or  confide  too  firmly  in  the 
sureties  of  the  everlasting  covenant.  Why,  then,  any  change  in 
your  affections  towards  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  1  "  Where  then  is 
the  blessedness  ye  spake  of  1" 

III.  And  the  children  of  God,  to  whom  you  seemed  so  much 
attached,  have  the  same  claim  to  your  regard  as  they  had  then. 
True,  you  might  not  then  have  seen  all  the  faults  in  them  you  now 
see.  But  have  you  seen  so  many  that  you  cannot  love  them  ?  If 
so,  then  we  ask  if  Christ  has  seen  so  many  that  /le  cannot  love 
them  1  And  cannot  you  love  when  /le  can  1  Have  you  not  as 
much  in  you  to  cool  their  affection  as  they  to  cool  yours  1  And, 
with  all  their  faults,  are  they  not  in  covenant  with  God  I  Will 
they  not  finally  escape  to  heaven  1  You  once  loved  them  because 
they  loved  Christ,  and  they  love  him  still,  and  he  them.  Where, 
then,  has  fled  that  warm  Christian  affection  which  led  you  to  say, 
with  the  Moabites,  "  Where  thou  goest,  I  will  go,  and  where 
thou  stayest  I  will  stay  1" 

IV.  The  souls  of  ungodly  men,  that  claimed  your  pity,  and  draw 
forth  your  prayers  and  exhortations  and  entreaties,  are  worth  no  less 
now,  than  at  the  time  of  your  espousals  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Those  same  beings  are  some  of  ihem  here  yet,  in  all  their  unbelief 
and  impenitence,  and  their  condition,  it  will  be  acknowledged,  is 
far  more  deplorable.  If  many  are  gone  and  lost  who  affected  your 
hearts  in  the  day  when  you  believed,  others  are  here,  in  the  same 
ruined  condition  of  guilt  and  wretchedness.  Hence,  why  any  less 
concern  for  their  souls  1 

V.  And  this  poor  world  is  the   same  vanity  as  when  you   first 


'8^0 


SITOilT   SERMONS,    OR 


trampled  it  under  your  feet.  In  what  new  attitude  can  it  possibly 
have  presented  itself  so  as  to  win  again  a  supreme  attachment  1 
It  is  a  perishing  good  that  can  be  stolen  or  moth-eaten,  or  can 
take  wings  and  fly  away.  The  cry  in  your  ear  still  is,  "Arise  ye, 
and  depart,  for  this  is  not  your  rest.  Or  has  this  cry  all  died 
away  1  Well,  it  is  as  true  as  when  you  first  listened  to  it.  This 
is  a  poor  world,  a  temptation,  a  mere  vanitij. 

VI.  And  the  heavenly  treasure — how  can  it  have  lost  its  value 
to  a  dying  man  1  However  highly  it  may  be  right  to  value  this 
world,  we  must  quit  it  so  soon,  that  wisdom  would  dictate  that  we 
have  treasures  elsewhere.  If  heaven  implies  a  freedom  from  sin, 
how  can  the  believer  not  long  for  it  !  If  in  heaven  there  are  more 
distinct  views  of  Christ  than  in  this  life,  how  can  the  believer  not 
wish  to  be  in  heaven  1 

VIII.  Some  of  the  blessedness  of  your  earliest  religious  hours 
consists  in  the  h;ippy  seasons  of  prayer  enjoyed  ;  and  why  has 
this  duty  lost  any  of  its  sweetness  1  God  is  as  ready  to  hear  you 
pray,  and  as  prompt  to  answer  and  save,  as  he  then  was  ;  and  have 
yo'.i  not  the  same  occasion  to  pray  1  Do  not  a  thousand  cares 
ever  press  you  into  a  cold,  backslidden  state?  And  could  you  get 
back  to  the  views  anJ  affestions  you  on-^e  had,  the  duty  would 
give  you  all  the  pleasure  it  then  did.  "  Where  is  then  the  blessed- 
ness ye  spake  of?" 

Vni.  And  so  far  as  your  early  joys  were  derived  from  the  Bible, 
why  need  there  have  been  a;iy  change  1  It  is  the  same  book  of 
Go!,  filled  with  the  same  precious  promises,  the  same  sanctifying 
doctrines,  and  the  same  delightful  exhibition  of  God  and  heaven. 
"  Where  is  then  the  blessedness  ye  spake  of  1" 

REMARKS. 

It  may  be  important  to  inquire,  since  there  would  seem  to  be  no 
cause  of  the  change,  of  the  loss  of  blesselness  to  believers  from 
their  departure  from  the  spirit  of  their  espousals,  what  the  effect 
will  be? 

1.  That  the  believer  is  cfreally  injuring  his  own  soul  by  his  de- 
parture, there  can  be  no  doubt.     He  backens  his  heavenly  growth. 

2.  It  is  equally  sure  that  he  injures  his  brethren.  He  holds 
them  back  with  all  the  influence  he  has  over  them,  by  all  the  affec- 
tion they  have  for  him,  and  all  the  forms  of  his  example. 

3.  And  in  the  mean  time  he  is  destroying  the  world  of  the  un- 
godly.    They  will  not  believe,  while  they  see  you  live  as  though 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  321 

you  were  sorry  you  had  made  a  profession  of  religion,  that  there 
can  be  any  great  sweetness  or  richness  in  that  religion. 

4).  He  is  preparing  himself,  probably^  for  a  wretched  dying  bed. 

5.  He  will  have  a  lower  seat  in  heaven. 


No.    XI. 

PSALM  XLV.   10,   11. 
Hoarkeii,  O  daughtpr,  and  considf  r,  and  iiicliiie  tliiiie  ear ;  forgot  also  tliine  own  people  and  thy 
father's  house  :  so  shall  the  King  greatly  desire  tliy  beauty,  for  he  is  thy  Lord,  and  worship  thou 
hiui. 

To  render  the  text  applicable  to  the  present  occasion,  it  needs 
only  to  be  said,  that  it  constitutes  a  fragment  of  a  beautiful  alle- 
gory, in  which  the  union  of  Christ  with  his  people  is  represented, 
under  the  allusion  of  a  marriage.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  spend 
a  moment  in  tracing  the  features  of  the  allegory.  The  intended 
bride  is  expected  to  listen  to  the  terms  of  the  compact  and  well 
consider  it,  and  then  to  forget  her  people  and  her  father's  house. 
Her  beloved  tlien  promises  to  take  delight  in  her  spiritual  beauty, 
and  as  her  Lord,  receive  her  subjection  and  homage. 

The  different  features  of  the  allegory  will  furnish  the  plan  of 
my  remarks. 

I.  The  Lord  Jesus  has  made  to  you  kind  and  gracious  overtures. 
He  offers  to  unite  you  to  himself  in  an  everlasting  covenant,  well 
ordered  in  all  things,  and  stire.  Thus  in  a  parallel  passage,  he 
uses  the  same  figure  :  "  I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me  for  ever.  Yea, 
I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me  in  righteousness  and  in  judgment,  and 
in  loving-kindness,  and  in  mercies — I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me 
in  fvithfulness,  and  thou  shalt  know  the  Lord."  For  a  consumma- 
tion of  this  marriage  union  between  Christ  and  believers,  see  Rev. 
xix.  7,  8.  "Christ  will  furnish  you  with  your  marriage  apparel 
and  ornaments,  so  that  when  adorned  for  the  wedding,  you  will 
wear  his  own  beauties."  See  Is.  Ixi.  10.  We  see  this  circumstance 
noticed  in  the  history  of  his  ancient  Church— "Thy  renown  went 
forth  among  the  heathen,  for  thy  beauty,  for  it  was  perfect,  through 
my  comeliness  which  I  had  put  upon  thee." 

Under  the  gospel  dispensation — sobriety,  gravity,  and  temper 
ance,  a  maek  and  a  quiet  spirit,  arc  the  ornaments  the  soul  is  ex- 
pected to  wear,  which  becomes  wedded  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

VOL.  II.  41 


322  SHOUT    SERMONS,  OR 

When  he  has  thus  made  you  beautiful,  he  will  love  his  own 
image,  which  he  has  put  upon  you,  and  he  will  employ  you  in  his 
service,  and  will  hold  you  near  him,  blessing  you  with  his  smiles 
for  ever. 

II.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  expects  that  you  will  hearken  and 
incline  your  ear.  He  deals  with  sinners  as  rational,  intelligent 
beings,  and  malces  overtures,  in  language  which  they  understand. 
The  Bible  is  the  plainest  boolc  in  the  world,  and  the  gospel  system 
so  plain,  that  "  the  wayfaring  man,  though  a  fool,  need  not  err 
therein."  You  must  not,  however,  suppose  that  in  securing  your 
assent  to  the  terms  of  the  covenant,  the  Holy  Spirit  deals  with 
you  as  if  you  were  machines — mere  passive  recipients  of  his  mer- 
cy. No  :  he  does  not  thus  hold  out  a  premium  for  stupidity  and 
inaction.  If  you  would  be  saved,  you  must  hearken  and  incline 
your  ear,  and  consider  when  Christ  speaks.  You  must  do  as  Da- 
vid did.  "I  thought  upon  niy  ways  ;  I  turned  my  feet  unto  thy 
testimonies ;  I  made  haste  and  delayed  not  to  keep  thy  command- 
ments." Ps.  cxix.  59,  60.  Mere  hearing,  without  consideration, 
will  not  profit  you  :  as  says  James,  "  But  be  ye  doers  of  the  word, 
and  not  hearers  only,  deceiving  your  own  selves.  For  if  any  be 
a  hearer  of  the  word,  and  not  a  doer,  he  is  like  unto  a  man  be- 
holding his  natural  face  in  a  glass:  for  he  heholdeth  himself,  and 
goeth  his  way,  and  straightway  forgetteth  what  manner  of  man  he 
was.  But  whoso  looketh  into  the  perfect  law  of  liberty,  and  con- 
tinueth  therein,  he  being  not  a  forgetful  hearer,  but  a  doer  of  the 
word,  this  man  shall  be  blessed  in  his  ileed." 

III.  You  are  required  to  forget  your  own  people  and  your  fa- 
ther's house.  As  in  marriage,  the  bride  separates  herself  from  her 
home,  so  the  sinner  must  disengage  himself  from  every  friend, 
however  dear,  who  would  hold  him  back  in  the  service  of  Christ. 
It  often  happens,  that  under  these  circumstances,  "  a  man's  foes 
are  they  of  his  own  household."  Yet,  says  the  Savior,  "  He  that 
loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  me  is  not  worthy  of  me  ;  and 
he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more  than  me  is  not  worthy  of  me; 
and  he  that  taketh  not  his  cross  and  followeth  after  me  is  not 
worthy  of  me."  You  must  consequently  divorce  yourself  from 
all  your  gay,  idle,  fashionable,  and  irreligious  companions.  T!iere 
is  no  alternative  but  abandonment.  'I'he  word  of  God  is  explicit : 
"  Atul  when  he  had  called  the  people  unto  him,  witli  his  disciples 


V 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  323 

a  SO,  he  said  unto  them,  whosoever  will  come  after  me,  let  him 
deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me.  For  whoso- 
ever will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  but  whosoever  shall  lose  his 
life  for  my  sake  and  the  gospel's,  the  same  shall  save  it.  For 
what  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and 
lose  his  own  soul  ?  Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his 
soul  1  Whosoever  therefore  shall  be  ashamed  of  me,  and  of  my 
words,  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation,  of  him  also  shall 
the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed  when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of  his 
Father  with  the  holy  angels." 

IV.  When  you  have  equipped  yourself  for  a  spiritual  union  with 
Christ,  he  will  see  in  you  those  beauties  that  will  render  you  his 
delight  and  his  glory.  They  will  be  his  own  beauties  put  upon 
you,  but  put  upon  you  so  as  to  be  your  own. 

1.  They  will  adliere  to  you  for  ever. 

2.  They  will  shine  by  contrast  with  your  former  character. 
You  know  how  pleasing  a  thing  it  is  to  see  what  was  once  de- 
formed made  beautiful. 

3.  They  will  never  tarnish.  They  do  not  consist  in  tinsel,  or 
in  jewels  which  grow  old  and  fade.  They  do  not  depend,  like  the 
cheek  and  the  sprightliness  of  youth,  on  the  rapid  flow  of  the 
life's  blood.  They  do  not  depend  upon  the  caprices  of  fashion  or 
custom. 

4.  They  will  be  beauties  which  will  grow  brighter,  and  shine 
with  more  and  more  brilliancy  an  I  glory  through  all  the  years  of 
heaven.  A  full  view  of  the  glories  of  the  Lamb  will  make  every 
face  in  heaven  glow  with  increasing  loveliness  for  ever. 

V.  It  remains  that  I  speak  of  your  employment  in  the  spiritual 
house  of  your  Lord.     He  is  thy  Lord,  an  I  worship  thou  him. 

You  are  to  be  employe!  everlislin^ly  in  doing  him  service — in 
vinlicating  his  honor  and  law  and  government — in  contriving  new 

anthems  to  express  your  pleasure  and  confidence  and  devotion 

in  urging  on  the  angels  to  louJer  and  sweeter  hosannas— in  hold- 
inx  on  upon  the  everlasting  covenant.  Come,  my  fellow-sinners, 
will  you  be  wedded  to  the  Lord  Jesus  1  What  do  you  reply  ?  Do 
you  ask  me,  shall  we  not  tire  in  the  work  ?  No.  Jesus  will  ap- 
peir  more  ami  more  lovely  for  ever. 

But  will  not  the  w)rld  hmgh  at  me  1  Let  them  laugh.  Can  it 
interrupt  your  bliss  in  heaven  1  But  should  you,  for  fear  of  the 
world's  ridicule  refuse  I     Can  their  laughter  relieve  the  agonies 


32'4  SHORT   SERMONS,    OR 

of  your  dying  bed,  or  extinguish  the  flames  of  hell,  when  you  are 
sinking  amidst  them  1 

Do  you  say,  I  am  too  young,  and  religion  will  make  me  unlovely  1 
Oh,  no.  The  rose  on  the  cheek  of  beauty  was  never  half  so  beau- 
tiful or  fragrant  as  when  bathed  in  the  tears  of  repentance,  or 
blushing  with  the  first  tints  of  hope. 

"And  now  if  you  will  deal  kindly  and  truly  with  my  Master, 
tell  me,  and  if  not  tell  me,  that  I  may  turn  to  the  right  hand  or  the 
left."     Gen.  xxiv.  49. 


No.   XII. 

JERKMIAH    ni.    15. 
I  will  give  you  pastors  according  to  mine  iieait,  wiiicli  shall  fecj  you  with  knowledge  and  under- 
standing. 

The  prophet  is  addressing  the  ten  tribes,  and  promises,  in  the 
name  of  God,  that  if  they  will  return  to  him  by  repentance,  he  will 
give  them  pastors  after  his  own  heart,  through  whose  agency  he 
will  edify  and  save  them. 

But  the  church  is  in  all  ages  the  same,  and  what  was  the  richest 
promise  to  Israel  is  the  richest  that  God  can  now  make  to  his 
people. 

It  can  then  need  no  apologfy,  if  I  make  it  my  object  on  this  occa- 
sion to  MAGNIFY  the  pastoral  office. 

I  would  premise,  that  the  pastoral  office  seems  the  only  minis- 
terial office  intended  to  be  permanent. 

I.  What,  then,  are  the  duties  of  the  pastoral  office  1 

1.  To  edify  the  body  of  Christ;  to  mature  the  Christians  for 
their  heavenly  state. 

The  idea  is  a  mistaken  one,  that  the  conversion  of  sinners  is  a 
more  pressing  object  than  the  edification  of  the  Church.  God 
has  promised  them  that  he  will  guide  them  with  his  counsel,  and 
afterward  receive  them  to  glory. 

He  lias  promised  his  i-on,  I  know,  that  he  shall  see  of  the  trnvail 
of  his  soul  and  be  satis'ied  ;  and  this  promise  the  Father  will  ful- 
fil. But  the  pastoral  office  has  primary  reference  to  the  flock  that 
16  to  be  fed.     This  flock,  I  know,  must  be   constantly  replenislied 


OUTLINES  OF    DISCOURSES.  325 

from  the  world.  "  Other  sheep  have  I,  which  are  not  of  this  fold  ; 
them  also  I  must  bring  in,  that  there  may  be  one  fold  and  one 
shepherd."  Hence,  while  these  other  sheep  are  to  be  gathered  in, 
and  gathered  through  a  preached  gospel— for  by  the  foolishness  of 
preaching  God  will  save  them  that  believe — it  is  still  true  that  God 
has  associated  with  the  permanency  of  the  Church,  a  permanent 
pastoral  office.  We  might  divide  the  duties  of  the  office  into  more 
or  less.  I  should  choose  to  say  that  the  pastor  must  lead,  and/eec?, 
and  guard,  and  heal. 

1.  He  must  lead.  A  pastor  may  not  be  ignorant  of  the  leading 
doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and  must  make  plain  to  the  Church  the 
truths  she  may  believe,  and  the  precepts  she  must  practice,  to 
please  her  Lord. 

2.  He  must  feed  them.  The  business  of  feeding  the  flock  of 
God,  over  which  a  bishop  is  made  the  overseer,  consists  very  much 
in  so  presenting  divine  truth  to  the  Church  as  to  draw  out  the  holy 
affections  of  the  heart,  and  lead  on,  to  a  perfect  conformity  to  the 
will  of  God,  and  to  the  image  of  Jesus  Christ,  his  sacramental 
multitude.  They  must  promptly  hear  the  shepherd's  voice,  when 
there  is  any  danger  that  they  may  stray. 

3.  He  must  guard.  To  guard  the  flock,  implies  on  the  part  of 
the  pastor  a  constant  vigilance,  that  shall  espy  every  approaching 
danger,  and  every  foe  that  may  lurk  in  ambush  to  destroy  or  in- 
jure any  interest  of  the  Church. 

4.  To  heal,  embraces  those  arduous  and  difficult  duties  that  grow 
out  of  the  errors  and  the  general  depravity  of  the  people  of  God. 

All  these  are  implied  in  edifying  the  Church  of  the  living  God  ; 
and  the  whole  is  to  be  done,  as  far  as  human  agency  is  concerned, 
through  the  skilful  use  of  God's  truth.  God's  people  are  spoken 
of  as  built  up  in  the  most  holy  faith.  They  are  said  to  be  rooted 
and  grounded  in  the  truth.  And  the  promise  is,  "  Ye  shall  know 
the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free." 

No  other  means  than  truth  will  effectually  move  the  Christians 
on  any  point,  when  we  wish  them  to  put  forth  their  energies.  A 
song  will  not  do  it,  nor  a  prayer.  A  healthful  and  continued  ac 
tion  requires  solid  food. 

We  can  easily  see  how  truth,  in  the  hands  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
must  do  the  whole  work.  If  he  becomes  idolatrous — truth  shows 
him  God,  sh'ning  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  If  proud — truth 
shows  him  the  rock  whence  he  was  hewn,  and  the  hole  of  the  pit 
whence  he  was  digged.  If  he  cease  to  care  for  sinners — truth 
shows  him  the  terrors  of  the  Lord :  he  learns  the  sinner's  end  in 


326  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

the  sanctuary  of  the  Most  High.  If  he  becomes  worldly,  or  lust- 
ful, or  envious,  or  ambitious,  or  sluggish — on  each  and  every  of 
these  points  he  must  be  assailed  and  put  right  by  the  law  of  the 
Lord,  which  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul. 

And  the  power  that  brings  the  wanderer  back,  must  hold  him. 
"  Restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation,  and  uphold  with  thy 
free  spirit ;  then  will  I  teach  transgressors  thy  ways,  and  sinners 
shall  be  converted  unto  thee."  Not  only  now,  but  in  heaven,  the 
truth,  and  the  Spirit  through  the  truth,  must  keep  him  holding  on 
for  ever. 

But  not  cold,  speculative  or  philosophical  truth  will  do  this. 
We  have  no  such  in  the  Bible.  It  is  spiritual,  and  practical,  and 
experimental  truth,  that  renovates  the  heart.  When  David,  in  the 
dark  hour,  encouraged  himself  in  the  Lord  his  God,  it  was  not  by 
a  cold,  philosophical  speculation  on  the  attributes  of  God  ;  but 
some  practical  review  of  the  Divine  operations — how  God  inter- 
posed for  Abraliam,  and  Jacob,  and  Moses,  and  Joshua. 

II.  Having  thus  inquired  respecting  the  duties  of  the  pastoral 
ufRce,  and  shown  that  its  office  is  to  guide  the  Church  to  heaven, 
let  us  now  inquire  whether  the  Church  can  safely  dispense  with  this 
office  1  Why  may  not  evangelists,  the  only  proposed  substitute, 
serve  all  her  interests,  and  protect  her  honor,  and  guide  her  to  the 
marriage  supper  1  I  take  the  negative  of  this  question,  for  the 
following  reasons  : 

1.  Evangelists  cannot  feel  the  pastoral  affections.  Their  home 
is  the  Church  at  large  ;  and  their  regards  to  the  Church  can  have 
no  more  locality  than  their  persons. 

2.  Evangelists  cannot  have  the  leisure  to  study  extensively  the 
word  of  God.  They  cannot  give  themselves  to  reading,  and  be- 
come mighty  in  the  Scriptures.  They  may  gain  a  kind  of  know- 
ledge that  will  render  them  invaluable  ministers  of  the  word  of 
life,  and  take  lessons  extensively  on  human  manners  and  human 
nature. 

3.  They  cannot  become  familiar  with  the  business  of  adminis- 
tering the  discipline  of  the  Church,  and  know  how  to  meet  the 
cases  of  toil  and  sorrow  which  so  frequently  rend  piecemeal  the 
churches  of  Jesus  Christ. 

4.  They  cannot  feel* the  responsibilities  that  are  indispensable  to 
the  guidance  and  safe  conduct  of  the  churches  through  this  wil- 
derness.   Must  all  matters  in  the  Cl)urch  of  Christ  be  done  accord- 


OUTLINES   OF   DISC0T7KSES.  327 

ing  to  his  own  laws!  they  must  be  done  by  the  men  who  will  re- 
main on  the  spot  to  bear  the  blame  if  they  are  done  wrong. 

5.  It  is  doubtful  whether  the  churches  will  hold  in  sufficiently 
high  respect  and  affection,  for  their  own  good,  a  changing  and 
fluctuating  ministry.  If  there  is  no  portion  of  the  parental  rela- 
tion, there  can  be  but  little  of  that  filial  respect  that  begets  confi- 
dence, and  tractableness,  and  the  desirable  trust  and  submission. 

OBJECTIONS. 

1.  But  it  has  been  said,  that  the  pastoral  relation  has  cradled 
the  Church  to  sleep  ;  and  some  wise  men  have  believed  that,  to 
unsettle  the  ministry,  and  supply  the  place  of  the  pastors  with 
evangelists,  is  the  remedy. 

This,  it  would  seem,  is  being  wise  above  what  is  written.  God 
has  appointed  the  office,  and  could  not  but  know  perfectly  whether 
his  churches  would  be  safe  under  his  own  regulations.  As  well 
might  we  say  that  none  are  so  unfit  to  bring  up  children  as  their 
parents,  and  discard  at  once  all  the  domestic  relations. 

2.  But  a  perpetual  change  in  the  ministry  will  furnish  the 
churches  a  perpetual  novelty  in  the  mode  of  exhibiting  the  word 
of  life.  This  is  by  no  means  certain — and  if  certain,  not  certainly 
a  good. 

3.  But  if  we  thus  hold  the  lash  over  ministers,  we  shall  press 
them  up  to  duty,  and  make  them  more  faithful.  Perhaps  not. 
They  may  be  rendered  mercenary  ;  and  be  driven,  some  of  them, 
to  hypocrisy,  by  the  want  of  a  pice  of  bread ;  but  will  not,  we  ap- 
prehend, be  rendered,  by  this  means,  more  faithful  to  Jesus  Christ 
or  to  his  flock. 


1.  Let,  then,  the  churches  love  their  pastors,  and  tenderly  cher- 
ish them,  and  pray  for  them. 

2.  Let  the  pastors  care  supremely  for  the  eternal  salvation  of 
their  people,  that  the  high  and  holy  office  may  result  in  the  pre- 
senting to  Christ,  at  last,  a  glorious  Church,  not  having  spot,  or 
wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing. 

3.  How  dreadful  this  office,  to  negotiate  between  God  and  man, 
as  God's  ambass  idor  ! 

Too  dreadful  to  be  lightly  entered  upon. 

Too  dreadful  to  be  entered  unprepared. 

Too  dreadful  to  be  coveted. 

And  yet,  too  honorable  to  be  avoided,  when  the  call  is  plain. 


328  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

*' How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that 
bringeth  good  tidings,  that  publisheth  peace  ;  that  bringeth  good 
tidings  of  good,  that  publisheth  salvation  ;  that  saith  unto  Zion, 
Thy  God  reigneth !  Thy  watchmen  shall  lift  up  the  voice  ;  with 
the  voice  together  shall  they  sing :  for  they  shall  see  eye  to  eye, 
when  the  Lord  shall  bring  again  Zion." 


No.  XIII. 

1    PETER    IV.    18. 

If  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved,  where  shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear  ? 

On  the  truth  of  God  we  found  a  hope  that  his  people  will  all 
reach  heaven,  not  to  shine  with  equal  light,  and  not  to  glow  with 
equal  transport  in  the  throne  of  the  blessed.  Some  of  God's  peo- 
ple will  shine  with  full-orbed  glory,  while  others  will  shine  with  the 
diminished  light  of  a  more  distant  star.  It  is  promised  to  the  peo- 
ple of  God  that  those  who  have  turned  many  to  righteousness,  shall 
shine  in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father,  and  as  the  stars,  forever  and 
ever ;  and  yet  the  smallest  amount  of  that  exalted  glory  will  sur- 
pass the  highest  hopes  of  every  humble  believer.  His  expectation 
is,  he  shall  be  "saved,  as  though  by  fire."  He  is  a  brand  plucked 
out  of  the  fire,  and  if  he  may  reach  heaven,  at  any  price,  it  is  the 
height  of  his  ambition.  If  he  may  only  stand  at  the  portals  of 
that  happy  world,  and  gaze  for  ever  upon  one  of  the  glories  of  that 
cluster  to  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  study  out  that  one  rich  attribute 
of  the  Savior,  it  will  be  heaven  enough  for  him  ;  and  yet  his  ho[)e 
is  to  reach  that  "  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory," 
when  he  dares  to  entertain  any  hope  at  all.  The  fact  is,  a  great 
deal  must  be  done  yet  for  the  people  of  God  to  bring  them  to 
heaven.  But  this  will  be  done  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  "  who  hath 
taken  their  feet  out  of  the  horrible  pit  and  the  miry  clay,  and  put 
a  new  song  into  their  mouth."  This  first  gift  of  a  Savior  promises 
all  the  rest,  "  He  that  pared  not  his  own  Son,  but  freely  gave  him 
up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  freely  give  us  all  things  with  him  V 

But  let  us  look  a  litde  at  the  process  of  this  work. 

I.  The  people  of  God  will  be  saved  with  difficulty. 

1.  Owing  to  their  strong  remaining  corruptions.     These  must 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  329*'- 

all  be  subdued  by  the  power  of  God,  or  they  can  never  live  in 
he^en.  If  the  work  of  God  is  begun  in  their  hearts,  it  is  only 
the  first  dawnings  of  eternal  light,  which  will  "  shine  brighter  and 
brighter  unto  the  perfect  day."     So  the  promise  is. 

2.  To  their  long  and  inveterate  habits  of  sin.  It  may  be  said 
of  them,  "  Can  the  Etliiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his 
spots  { then  may  ye,  who  are  accustomed  to  do  evil,  learn  to  do  well." 

3.  To  the  strong  and  numerous  foes  that  oppose  his  march. 
The  Christian,  it  seems,  is  destined  to  be  watched  and  waylaid  in 
every  furlong  of  his  route.  If  finally  he  can  sing,  "  The  desert  is 
all  trodden  over  ;  not  another  foe  to  waylay,  not  another  serpent 
to  bite,  or  stony  morass  to  cross,"  with  this  song  he  hopes  to  finish 
his  pilgrimage. 

4.  A  great  amount  of  labor  will  be  requisite  to  push  him  forward 
in  his  heavenly  pilgrimage. 

5.  There  will  await  him  many  other  dangers,  of  which  he  can 
have  yet  no  conception.  He  has  yet  to  "wrestle  with  principali- 
ties and  powers,  and  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  with 
spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places,"  and  will  need  yet  the  agility' 
of  an  angel,  to  ward  off  his  danger  and  consummate  the  victory. 

II.  But  "  where  shall  the  ungodly  and  sinner  appear  1"  All  the 
difficulties,  and  more  yet,  that  obstruct  the  way  of  the  Christian 
heavenward,  are  surely  before  the  man  who  has  not  commenced 
his  route  thither. 

J.  The  man  who  is  not  a  Christian  has  yet  to  enter  upon  the 
way.  He  has  yet  to  combat  the  very  preliminaries  of  the  journey  ; 
and  he  has  yet  to  suppose  they  may  be  even  greater  than  those  in 
the  way  of  the  Christian. 

2.  He  may  have  more  yet  corruptions.  He  may  have  taken  a' 
more  wayward  course,  and  may  have  engendered  iniquities.  His 
habits  of  sin  may  have  placed  him  further  from  heaven  than  the 
believer,  and  he  may  have  yet  many  furlongs  to  go  before  he 
reaches  the  spot  where  the  Christian  began  his  route. 

3.  But  his  iniquities  must  all  be  uprooted.  He  has  been  sowing 
the  very  ground  he  has  trodden  over  with  thorns  and  briars  ;  and 
there,  with  his  own  hand,  he  must  pluck  up  and  plant,  instead  of 
them,  the  rose  of  Sharon. 

4.  He  has  more  foes,  in  addition  to  those  planted  in  the  way  of 
the  Christian.  With  these  he  must  wrestle  and  strive  more  ;  with 
these  he  must  make  a  great  many  efforts,  before  he  will  reach  thet 
spot  from  whence  the  Christian  has  passed  on  towards  heaven. 

TOL.    II.  42 


330  SHORT    SERMONS,    OK 

5.  He  must  do  more  labor  than  if  he  had  set  out  earlier. 

6.  The  same,  and  more  yet  dangers  await  him  than  await  the 
Christian. 


1.  Would  I  have  the  sinner  despair,  lie  down  and  die  1  Will 
not  heaven  be  worth  all  the  efforts  he  has  yet  to  make,  and  to  avoid 
hell  1  Would  it  not  be  worth  while  that  he  should  go  through 
again  and  again,  if  it  must  be,  all  the  pangs  of  the  new  birth  1 

I  have  heard  of  three  men  that  were  cast  upon  an  island,  having 
no  way  to  live  but  to  wrestle  perpetually  all  night.  It  was  a  ter- 
rible atmosphere,  and  the  bay  was  freezing  over,  and  they  must 
stay  and  wrestle  the  livelong  night,  or  life  must  go  out  by  frost. 
They  continued  to  struggle  the  next  day  for  life,  until  the  ice 
bore  them,  and  they  went  on  shore  and  lived.  Now  was  it  not 
best  that  they  should  do  all  this  and  live,  rather  than  die  1 

2.  O,  then,  how  anxious  should  sinners  be  to  commence  the 
great  work  of  their  salvation  ! 

3.  How  anxious,  too,  should  the  church  be  that  sinners  might 
live! 


No.    XIV. 

GENESIS  xxvm.  20 — 22. 
And  Jacob  vowed  a  vow,  sayinz,  If  Gml  will  b  ■  with  inc,  and  will  kp«p  me  In  this  way  that  1 
go,  and  will  g've  me  bread  to  eat,  and  raiment  to  |iiit  on,  so  that  t  come  again  to  my  fuiher's  house 
In  peace;  then  shall  the  Lord  be  my  God  :  And  this  stone  which  I  have  set  for  a  pillar,  shall  be 
God's  house  ;  and  of  all  that  thou  shalt  give  me,  I  will  surely  give  the  tenth  unto  thee. 

I  HAVE  thought  for  some  time  it  might  be  peculiarly  interesting, 
if  ministers  would  be  in  the  habit  of  drawing  out  the  characters  of 
Old  Testament  saints,  through  the  times  and  scenes  of  their  con- 
version, fixing  on  the  time  if  it  might  be,  when  they  gave  up  all  for 
Christ,  and  submitted  themselves  to  the  rule  and  direction  of  Hea- 
ven. I  know  there  might  be  much  said  that  would  be  wild  and 
erratic,  as  in  the  case  of  a  late  writer,  who  represented  David  as 
impenitent  up  to  the  time  of  his  illicit  intercourse  with  the  wife 
of  Uriah,  throwing  very  great  confusion  into  the  history  of  "  that 
man  after  God's  own  heart."  I  have  supposed  a  careful  examina- 
tion would  enable  them  to  do  so  with  a  great  amount  of  accuracy. 


OUTLINES   OF    DISCOURSES.  331 

Thus  the  character  of  the  Christian  in  one  generation  might  be 
drawn  out  to  the  gaze  and  review  of  another  generation,  and  thus, 
as  generation  after  generation  should  come  home  to  heaven,  the 
believers  of  one  dispensation  might  gaze  upon  the  full  orbed  glory 
of  the  Christians  of  another  generation,  until  they  should  all  come 
home  to  "  the  same  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glo- 
ry," and  thus  appear  in  one  united  company  before  the  Lamb, 
where  they  join  to  "  ascribe  to  him  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom, 
and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing."  I  know  if  we 
should  attempt  to  fix  with  precision  the  exact  time  when  a  new 
heart,  and  a  right  spirit  were  given  to  them,  we  might  be  liable 
to  many  gross  blunders.  But  still  we  might  elicit  by  this  many 
interesting  thoughts,  and  be  able  better  to  compare  the  genius 
and  the  spirit  of  the  different  ages  and  dispensations,  and  thus  urge 
on  the  whole  Sacramental  host  to  holy  discipline  and  heavenly 
soldiership,  till  we  might  come  where  we  should  see  the  King  in 
his  beauty. 

Here  we  would  plant  the  feet  of  the  Patriarch,  and  inquire  whe- 
ther this  is  or  is  not  the  very  spot  where  he  was  born  again  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  where  commenced  that  wondrous  train  of  dis- 
pensations that  ended  in  his  final  equipment  for  glory. 

For  the  following  reasons  we  are  of  this  opinion  : — 

1.  It  seems  to  have  been  the  time  he  first  met  with  God,  and 
first  made  a  vow  to  God. 

2.  This  seems  to  have  been  a  time  of  peculiar  affliction  and  o( 
peculiar  cause  to  review  his  life. 

3.  In  the  vision  of  the  night  he  had  a  very  clear  demonstration 
of  the  Divine  care  over  him  in  the  angels  that  ascended  and  de- 
scended the  ladder,  and  especially  in  the  exhibition  of  the  Lord 
of  Angels  that  appeared  at  the  top  of  the  ladder. 

4.  The  fact  that  then  for  the  first  time  was  awakened  against 
him  the  inveterate  wrath  of  his  brother  Esau,  which  continued  to 
the  day  that  he  met  him  at  Penuel,  where  he  wrestled  with  God. 
It  seems  to  have  been  the  moment,  for  the  first  time,  that  he  came 
under  the  wing  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  "  which  is  well  or- 
dered in  all  things  and  sure." 

5.  This  seems  to  have  been  the  first  time  that  he  awoke  up  to 
the  duty  of  paying  his  vows. 

6.  This  seems  to  have  been  the  moment  when  there  was  ap- 
pointed a  guard  of  angels  over  him  to  keep  him  in  the  way  that 
he  went. 

7.  This  seems  to  have  been  the  time  when  there  commenced 


332  SHORT    SERMONS. 

between  him  and  God  a  train  of  Divine  communications,  in  which 
God  "led  him  by  his  counsel,  and  gave  evidence  that  he  would 
afterward  receive  him  to  glorjr." 

8.  It  seems  to  have  been  the  time  when  he  was  taken  iinHer 
the  Divine  escort  for  heaven,  to  which  he  seems  to  have  very 
tenderly  referrd,  when  he  said  to  Pharaoh,  "  The  days  of  the 
years  of  my  pilgrimage  are  a  hundred  and  thirty  years:  few  and 
evil  have  the  days  of  the  years  of  my  life  been,  and  have  not  at- 
tained unto  the  days  of  the  years  of  the  life  of  my  fathers,  in  the 
days  of  their  pilgrimage." 

From  this  time  forward  he  seems  to  have  acted  as  one  acquainted 
with  God,  and  seems  at  all  times  to  care  supremely  for  his  honor. 
This  seems  to  have  been  the  moment  whe'i  "^jv  sin  had  found  him 
out"  and  when  he  was  driven  from  his  kindred  and  friends,  and 
constrained  to  pass  through  those  trials,  which,  throurrh  the  sanc- 
tifying influence  of  the  Spirit,  were  calculated  to  ripen  him  for 
glory. 


1.  Tt  was  remarked  by  one  of  the  old  fathers,  that  he  that  will 
observe  the  wonderful  events  of  Divine  providence,  shall  have 
wonderful  events  of  Divine  providence  to  observe. 

2.  To  him  who  will  so  converse  about  God  in  his  history,  as  to 
make  God  great,  God  will  so  manage  in  his  providence  as  to  make 
him  great. 

Thus  what  he  gives  us  we  gather.  Thus  "  they  that  honor  God, 
he  will  honor." 

3.  How  rich  and  instructive  is  it  to  be  conversant  with  the  an- 
cient believers,  with  the  kings  and  princes  of  antiquity,  the  patri- 
archs, and  prophets,  and  elders  of  a  former  Church.  It  is  like 
walking  among  the  ruins  of  some  rich  temple,  and  marking  the 
stately  columns  and  ornaments  of  an  ancient  city,  and  observing 
the  splendid  contour  of  what  excited  the  wonder,  and  drew  forth 
the  admiration  of  past  generations.  Thus  would  the  subject  I 
propose  make  us  ever  familiar,  and  hold  us  conversant  with  ob- 
jects the  most  truly  sublime. 


No.    XV. 

MATfJiEW  XXII.  36,  37,  38. 
Master,  which  is  the  {rreat  coniiinmliii  'nt  in  tiiu  liiw  1    Jcmis  !<:ijd  unto  him,  Tlioii  shall  l.>vf  iho 
Lord  tliy  Ood  with  nil  ihy  heart,  uiid  with  all  iliy  soul,  and  with  ull  thy  mind,  this  is  the  fi^st  uiid 
great  ciiinniandiiit'iit. 

I.  To  love  the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our  heart  is  the  first  and 
great  commandment,  because  in  him  are  found  those  excellences 
which  deserve  our  highest  esteem.  They  are  moral  beauties. 
They  render  God  lovelv  to  himself,  and  all  his  creatures  lovely  to 
one  another.  Thus  there  is  let  down,  as  with  a  golden  chain,  one 
grand  affection,  that  binds,  or  would  bind  together  the  whole  hu- 
man family.  But  depravity  has  sundered  that  chain— has  snapped 
that  ligature. 

II.  Because  in  him  is  found  nothing  to  allay,  or  neutralize  those 
holy  affections. 

III.  Because  our  highest  blessedness  consists  in  putting  forth 
the  affections  required  in  this  commandment. 

IV.  Because,  when  the  heart  returns  supreme  affection  towards 
its  Maker,  then  it  is  restored  from  the  most  direful  aliena- 
tion that  ever  happened  under  the  government  of  Clod.  The 
alienation  that  occurred  in  heaven  when  there  was  revolt  among 
the  angels,  did  not  effect  more  broadly  the  sum  of  liuman  blessed- 
ness?, did  not  sunder  a  tie  mDre  sacred. 

V.  Becauss  the  example  of  all  holy  beings  in  every  world  that 
God  has  built,  conspires  to  enforce  this  law.  There  would  be  no 
being  but  God  to  complain,  and  he  will  not,  if  we  give  him  our  su- 
preme affection,  if  we  love  him  while  we  live,  if  we  love  him  when 
we  die,  if  we  love  him  when  we  are  dead. 


1.  The  subject  shows  us  the  grand  defect  in  the  mora  ity  of  all 
unregenerate  men.  They  have  no  supreme  object  of  afl^ection,  or 
at  least  God  is  not  that  object,  it  is  some  creature,  some  vanity 
of  vanities,  which  cannot  afford  them  any  real  or  permanent  enjoy- 
ment. 

2.  We  see  why  it  is  impossible  for  unregenerate  men  to  live  in 
heaven. 


334  SHORT    SERMONS. 

None  can  live  there  who  do  not  nnake  God  the  object  of  their 
concentrated  affections. 

Discord  would  prevail  in  heaven  should  men  be  indiscriminately 
received  into  that  world. 

3.  Hence  the  necessity  of  a  separation  in  the  coming  world  ac- 
cordinp^  to  character.  The  tares  and  the  wheat,  the  sheep  and  the 
goats,  the  clea7i  and  the  unclean,  are  terms  expressive  of  the  con- 
trariety of  character  on  which  this  final  division  will  be  founded. 

4.  We  see,  then,  how  radical  is  this  change  required  in  regene- 
ration, as  great  as  if  the  lion  should  become  a  lamb,  or  the  vulture 
should  be  changed  into  a  dove.  It  is  a  change  in  the  object  of  the 
supreme  affections. 

5.  We  see  why  unregenerate  men  are  unhappy  and  must  be  so. 
They  must  dislodge  their  hearts  from  its  hold  upon  the  world  and 
all  that  they  hold  dear;  we  are  required  to  "put  off"  concerning 
the  former  conversation,  the  old  man  which  is  corrupt  according 
to  the  deceitful  lusts;  and  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  our  mind; 
and  that"  we  "  put  on  the  new  man,  which,  after  God,  is  created 
in  righteousness  and  true  holiness." 

Children  are  commanded  to  love  their  parents,  and  parents  their 
children  ;  husbands  their  wives,  and  wives  their  husbands,  and  in 
fine  we  are  commanded  to  love  all  men  "with  a  pure  heart  fer- 
vently," and  to  let  "  love  be  without  dissimulation."  That  is,  the 
affection  we  are  to  feci  is  to  be  u  sincere,  and  cordial,  and  true  af- 
fection. But  in  all  this  there  is  to  be  no  infringement  at  all,  upon 
the  claims  of  God.  He  claims  a  supreme  affection,  and  all  our 
other  affections  are  to  be  in  subordination  to  this. 

Hence,  whatever  I  set  out  to  love,  I  engage  with  the  principle 
that  God  is  to  be  loved  better. 


No.  XVI. 

PSALM  cir.    1. 
Hear  my  prayer,  O  Lurd,  ami  lot  my  cry  come  unto  thee. 

One  of  the  most  natural  things  for  a  creature,  is  to  know  how 
he  may  approach  acceptably  his  Maker.  Hence  that  supplication 
so  often  in  the  mouth  of  God's  people,  "  Wherewithal  shall  I 
come  before  the  Lord  '." 

To  point  out  such  a  prayer,  and  to  show  what  will  be  that  mode 
of  approach  that  will  draw  down  blessings  upon  our  heads,  will  be 
my  object. 

I.  There  must  be  a  holy  respect  for  the  character  and  ways  of 
God.  This  will  prevent  us  from  coming  into  his  presence  "as  the 
horse  rusheth  iato  the  battle,"  and  prevent  us  from  being  repulsed 
at  the  first  attempt,  as  offering  him  what  is  a  stench  and  a  nuisance 
in  his  sight,  instead  of  an  acceptable  sacrifice. 

When  we  would  pray  acceptably,  we  must  come  looking  at  all 
his  attributes.  They  must  there  cluster,  as  the  vine-fruits  on  the 
vine.     They  must  fill  all  the  eye,  and  ravish  all  the  heart. 

K.  And  as  we  are  social  beings,  the  mode  of  our  approach  must 
show  that  we  are  not  praying  alone,  that  we  belong  to  a  praying 
family;  and  we  should  wish  to  get  near  to  his  presence,  and  not 
pray  at  a  distance — as  one  expressed  it,  "  with  a  rope  about  our 
neck."  The  child  would  choose  to  come  where  the  father  was, 
if  he  could  speak  to  him,  and  not  stand  at  a  distance,  as  if  he  were 
praying  by  proxy  to  an  absent  father. 

And  here  we  shall  feel  it  very  important  to  say, 

III.  That  our  prayers  must  go  up  with  sincerity  before  him,  and 
with  that  open  frankness  that  love  is  accustomed  to  generate.  And 
we  should  really  desire  the  blessing  we  need,  and  not  some  other, 
that  we  are  afraid  to  ask  for,  as  if  we  were  held  in  the  attitude  of 
foreigners,  who  were  supplicating  mercies  which  we  not  only  did 
not  deserve,  but  had  no  reason  to  expect.  God  does  not  love  this 
slavish  attitude  in  those  who  supplicate  favors  at  his  hands. 

IV.  We  must  have  our  eyes  filled  with  the  precious  Mediator: 
he  must  be  to  us  "the  chief  among  ten  thousands,  and  altogether 
lovely." 

We  must  be  glad  and  happy  that  we  may  approach  him  through  a 


336  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

name  so  precious  and  so  prevalent.    Thus  onlj^  can  we  hope  that  our 
praj^ers  may  come  up  before  him,  and  our  cry  reach  even  to  his  car. 

V.  We  must  not  fail  to  approach  him  with  a  spirit  of  submis- 
sion. This,  however,  Avill  not  imply  indifference.  The  affection 
that  brings  us  nearest  to  him  will  be  the  farthest  possible  from  in- 
difference— not  Wcrht  differs  more  from  grossest  darkness. 

There  can  be  no  resignation,  unless  the  heart  desires  earnestly 
the  blessing  it  supplicates. 
It  hardly  need  be  said, 

VI.  We  must  come  with  a  spirit  of  humility  and  penitence. 
The  suppliant,  who  can  for  one  single  moment  forget  that  he  is  a 
suppliant    will  deserve  to  be  repulsed  in  the  very  prayer  he  makes. 

Beggars  do  not  come  to  our  doors  to  make  a  demand  upon  our 
charity,  and  rebel  if  they  are  repulsed. 

VII.  It  would  be  natural  and  indispensable  that  we  remember 
that  we  have  received  blessings  from  the  same  hand  before,  and 
there  is  no  part  of  our  plea  that  is  more  efficacious  than  where  we 
tell  of  the  mercies  received  in  days  gone  b}^ 

We  smile  propitiously  upon  the  beggar  who  can  call  to  mind 
that  he  had  been  fed  from  our  table  before,  and  clad  from  our 
wardrobe.  Then  he  shows  that  any  favors  we  bestow,  will  not  be 
squandered  upon  him. 

Here  arise  several  questions. 

1.  Ought  impenitent  men  to  pray'?  If  it  can  be  shown  that 
there  is  no  part  of  the  prayer  that  ought  not  to  be  in  the  heart  of 
every  sinner,  then  every  sinner  ought  to  pray. 

If  the  view  we  have  taken  be  correct,  then  they  ought.  There 
is  no  one  of  these  qualifications  that  the  sinner  ought  not  to  possess. 

If  he  ought  to  respect  the  divine  character ;  if  he  ought  to  sin- 
cerely desire  divine  blessings  ;  if  he  should  come  in  the  only  way 
given  among  mpn  whereby  he  can  be  saved  ;  if  he  ought  to  come 
with  a  thankful  heart  ;  if  he  ought  to  have  his  eye  filled  with  a 
preciois  Mediator;  if  he  ought  to  pray  for  those  blessings  that 
God  pleases  to  give;  if  he  ought  to  pray  with  a  spirit  of  huniility 
and  penitence;  if  he  ought  to  pray  remembering  that  he  has  re- 
ceived blessings  from  the  same  hand  before  ;— if  thus  the  sinner 
should  pray,   then,  surely,  every   sinner  ought  to  pray. 

Thus  we  see  that  duty  reqiires  a  whole  world  to  be  prostrate 
befv)re  God  in  prayer  for  the  blessings  he  has  seen  fit  to  give  in 
answer  to  prayer. 

If  any  plead  to  dispute  their  acceptance,  and  not  praj'-,  they  may 
take  the  responsibility  upon    themselves.       Whatever  may   have 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  937 

been  the  opinion  of  other  preachers  on  this  subject,  the  present 
preacher  chooses  to  express  it  as  his  opinion  that  every  sinner 
ought  to  pray. 

But  here  arises  another  question. 

2.  How  will  prayer  be  accepted  without  these  qualifications  1  I 
answer,  it  will  not  ;  and  I  answer  on  the  authority  of  God. 

And  if  sinners  choose  to  pray,  leaving  out  of  view  the  qualifica- 
tions with  which  they  should  pray,  they  must  answer  to  their  own 
consciences. 

MOTIVES    TO    PRAYER. 

1.  It  is  God's  appointed  medium  of  communicating  blessings  to 
them. 

2.  Prayer  fits  us  to  receive  those  blessings. 

How  futile  are  the  hopes  of  sinners,  when,  without  any  prayer, 
they  hope  to  receive  all  those  comforts  that  God  has  promised 
through  his  Son  !  How  important,  then,  that  the  house  of  Israel 
should  be  much  in  prayer  for  those  who  are  perishing  in  their  sins! 

How  wonderful  the  condescension  of  God,  that  he  will  hear  a 
sinner  pray !  • 


No.    XVII. 

LUKK   XVIII.    13. 
God  be  merciful  to  iul-  a  sinner. 

This  parable  was  intended  to  reprove  the  self-righteous.  "  Man 
lookelh  on  the  outward  appearance,  but  God  on  the  heart."  Hence 
our  opinions  of  ourselves  differ  often  very  widely  from  God's  opin- 
ion of  us.  Sometimes  the  matter  of  the  action  may  be  right  and 
yet  the  heart  wrong.  The  text  is  the  prayer  of  one  who  sees  all 
to  be  wrong.  The  publican  was  reviewing  his  heart  and  glancing 
a  thought  across  his  miserably  dissolute  life.  The  review  filled 
him  with  pain,  and  he  gave  vent  to  his  feelings  in  the  best  of  pray- 
ers. It  spea'<s  the  language  of  every  true  penitent.  My  pan 
will  be  to  bring  into  view  the  feelings  that  dictate  such  a  prayer. 

I.  It  implies  great  self-abasement  and  deep  humiliation. 
VOL.  II  43 


338  SHORT    SERiMONS. 

1.  I  have  dishonored  the  eternal  God.  I  have  been  saying  to 
God  all  my  life  time,  "  Depart  from  me,  1  desire  not  a  knowledge 
of  thy  ways." 

2.  I  have  helped  crucify  the  Lord  of  glory.  I  had  in  his  death 
as  direct  an  agency  as  if  I  had  been  there  and  drove  the  nails. 

3.  I  have  grieved  the  Holy  Spirit.  I  have  despised  his  merciful 
interposition.  Have  "  grieved  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  whereby  I 
might  have  been  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption." 

4.  I  have  grieved  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  most  high  God. 
I  have  expelled  them  from  my  society  and  have  been  willing  to  be 
expelled  from  theirs  for  ever. 

5.  I  have  helped  to  pollute  sinners.  As  if  1  had  not  found  the 
world  sufficiently  defiled,  I  have  employed  my  time  and  talents  to 
make  it  more  vile  still.  "  Thus  have  I  spoken  and  done  evil  things 
as  I  could." 

6.  I  have  polluted  my  ow^n  soul  and  have  provoked  God  to  pre- 
pare me  a  hell,  where  I  shall  be  shut  up  in  darkness  for  ever. 

II.  The  prayer  implies  a  deep  conviction  that  none  but  God  can 
help! 

1.  Christians  cannot  help  me. 

2.  Ministers  cannot. 

3.  Means  cannot. 

4.  Angels  cannot. 

5.  I  cannot  help  myself. 

It  requires  an  almighty  arm  to  raise  me  from  the  pit  into  Avhich 
I  have  fallen. 

III.  The  prayer  may  imply  a  gonviction  that  we  can  be  relieved 
on  no  principle  but  that  of  grace  or  mercy.  Even  goodness,  in 
its  simple  state,  cannot  favor  a  rebel. 

"  A  pardoning  God  is  zealous  still, 
For  his  own  holiness." 


^m 


No.  XVIII 

«  LOOK  AND  LIVE." 

JOHN    III,    14. 
As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  tlie  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son  of  Man  be  iifted  u|k 

Sin  has  produced  the  misery  sinners  endure,  and  the  approach- 
ing everlasting  death  that  they  fear.  As  murmuring  at  the  light 
food  upon  which  God  fed  them  in  the  desert  brought  down  the 
judgment,  so  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  must  provide  the 
remedy.  The  brazen  serpent  was  of  Divine  contrivance,  and  illus- 
trated "  him  who  was  to  be  lifted  up  upon  the  cross"  and  draw  all 
nations  unto  him. 

1.  The  remedy  God  provides  is  the  only  one.  The  Israelites 
who  were  bitten  of  the  fiery  flying  serpent,  perished,  every  soul  ot 
them,  unless  they  looked  to  him  that  was  lifted  up. 

2.  The  remedy  bore  resemblance  to  the  instrument  of  the  plague. 
So  Christ  had  on  the  same  nature  with  the  race  that  fell. 

3.  There  must  be  confidence  in  the  prescription.  The  serpent 
healed  none  but  such  as  expected  help  from  that  source.  So  there 
must  be  saving  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  or  men  will  not  be 
healed  from  the  deadly  plagues  of  sin. 

4.  There  was  something  to  be  done  in  proof  of  that  confidence. 
They  must  look  to  the  brazen  serpent  that  was  put  upon  the  pole, 
or  else  the  wound  rankled,  and  death  ensued. 

5.  In  both  cases  the  remedy  was  simple  :   "  Look  and  live." 

6.  There  seemed  no  connection  between  the  wondrous  look 
and  the  restoration  procured. 


1.  The  ease  with  which  sinners  may  have  life  is  no  security 
that  they  shall  live.  We  are  not  told  of  any  that  looked  to  the 
brazen  serpent  and  lived,  but  are  only  told  that  when  "  they  look- 
ed they  lived." 

2.  How  wanton  must  have  been  the  death  of  any  that  died. 
Either  they  would  not  look  until  they  were  blind,  or  had  not  faith 
enough  to  look  and  procure  the  salvation  desired,  and  must  have 
gone  down  to  the  grave  the  most  wantoa  horde  of  suicides  that 
perished  in  the  desert. 


340  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

3.  The  agency  that  we  should  exert  to  induce  sinners  to  look 
to  Christ,  is  beautifully  illustrated  in  the  ease  with  which  they 
could  save  their  dying  fiends.  There  seemed  no  need  that  any 
should  die.  The  serpent  was  set  up  for  the  whole  camp  and  in 
the  sight  of  all. 


No.    XIX. 

MATTHEW  XXV.  41. 
Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  uverlosiing  fiie,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels. 

There  will  yet  come  a  day  of  righteous  retribution.  Men  may 
try  not  to  believe  it,  but  still  the  day  rolls  on.  Every  beating 
pulse  brings  it  nearer.  On  that  dreadful  day  the  Lord  Jesus  will 
sit  in  judgment  on  the  conduct  of  men. 

Then  sinners  will  receive  their  sentence  from  his  lips.  There 
will  be  gathered  together  before  him  all  nations. 

I.  Let  us  anticipate  and  review  this  sentence — Depart  from  me, 
ye  cursed. 

That  the  sinner  will  see  what  must  be  his  sentence  in  the  very 
first  line  of  that  destiny. 

He  must  depart  from  Christ,  and  from  the  very  presence  of  his 
holiness  ;  it  need  not  be  said  that  this  will  be  away  from  heaven, 
and  from  jrlory. 

There  will  not  be  merely  the  idea  oi  banishment,  but  of  banish- 
ment from  all  tliat  isgoot/  and  holy. 

I'liere  will  also  be  the  idea  of  a  wo  following,  for  they  are  to 
depart  accursed.  Hence  i[\c  finger  of  scorn  will  be  pointed  at  them 
in  whatever  world  they  retire.  And  this  will  be  the  most  dreadful 
ingreciient  in  their  everlasting  destruction  ;  for  if  there  is  any  one 
part  of  the  creation  that  is  more  accursed  than  another,  it  will  be 
the  world  of  death. 

If  any  kingdom  should  have  occasion  to  export  any  considerable 
portion  of  its  population,  there  would  follow  such  convicts  to  the 
world  of  their  exile,  the  hard  thoughts,  and  corroding  reflections, 
and  the  imprecations  of  all  the  civil,  and  decent,  and  sober  portion 
of  that  community,   to  light  upon  them,  and  rest  i;pon  them,  and 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  341 

be  the  eternal  associates  of  their  exile.  And  it  would  write  the 
history  of  their  character  and  destiny  in  darker  and  blacker  lines 
than  any  other  picture  of  their  waywardness. 

0!  if  the  sinner  could  but  look  back  and  beckon  heaven  into 
sympathy  and  into  tears,  it  would  mitigate  tlie  most  appalling  fea- 
ture of  his  exile. 

But  he  must  go,  accursed  of  angels  and  of  men;  and  if  even 
devils  do  not  join  in  the  curse,  and  the  execration,  it  will  be  well 
for  his  poor  soul. 

II.  They  are  to  go  accursed  into  everlasting  fire  ^  prepared  for  the 
devil  atid  his  angels. 

Here  the  ruined  of  the  human  family  must  go  into  a  world  that 
was  not  prepared  for  them  ;  not  for  a  wo  that  they  did  not  deserve, 
for  this  can  never  happen  under  the  government  of  God,  hnl  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels.  As  if  man  could  not  have  been 
expected,  after  a  Savior  was  offered,  to  have  so  sinned  as  to  de- 
serve this  destiny,  and  come  to  this  ruined  and  wretched  world. 

And  if  angels  will  have  their  theme  of  everlasting  sympathy  over 
the  wayward  and  the  lost,  much  of  that  sympathy  will  be  spent  on 
rtiat  very  case. 

Now  if  men  can  have  the  presumption  to  say,  that  there  will  be 
no  fire  connected  with  their  everlasting  destruction,  they  can  have 
their  own  opinion,  as  to  the  means  by  which  a  punishment  thus 
expressed  shall  be  inflicted. 

III.  This  sentence  will  be  pronounced  with  the  authority  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  himself,  the  very  Savior  that  used  to  weep  over  sin- 
ners, and  say,  "  O  that  thou  hadst  hearkened  unto  my  command- 
ments, then  had  thy  peace  been  as  a  river,  and  thy  righteousness 
as  the  waves  of  the  sea."  And  this,  it  seems  to  me,  will  be  one 
of  the  most  aggravated  circumstances  of  the  lost  sinner's  wo,  that 
his  sentence  was  pronounced  by  the  very  lips  of  the  pardoning 
Redeemer.     But  I  remark, 

IV.  This  sentence  will  be  publicly  issued,  in  the  presence  of  as- 
sembled worlds.  It  will  not  be  done  in  the  corner.  It  will  not  be 
like  those  private  executions  that  take  place  within  the  walls 
of  a  prison.  The  report  will  go  out  and  be  advertised  through 
the  lowest  caverns  of  hell.  And  it  will  also  be  reported  amid 
the  throngs  of  the  blessed  in  heaven,  and  they  will  all  know 
how  miserable  this  section  of  the  human  family  have  made  them- 
selves. 


342  SHORT    SERMONS, 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  great  wo  of  their  condemnation  will  be,  that  sinners  will 
go,  convinced  that  their  condemnation  is  just.  "  Out  of  thine  own 
mouth  will  I  judge  thee,  thou  wicked  servant." 

2.  It  is  not  the  worst  of  sinners  only  that  will  be  thus  condemn- 
ed, but  the  very  best  of  sinners  ;  men  who  cannot  remember  that 
they  have  ever  treated  unkindly  the  Son  of  God. 

While  he  will  say  to  them,  "I  was  a  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me 
no  meat :  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  no  drink  :  I  was  a  stranger, 
an*d  ye  took  me  not  in  :  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me  not :  sick  and 
in  prison,  and  ye  visited  me  not."  "  And  yet  this  same  Jesus 
made  all  the  worlds,  and  is  the  proprietor  of  the  cattle  upon  a  thou- 
sand hills." 

And  when  this  truth  shall  glare  upon  the  worlds,  and  shall  be 
written  upon  the  disc  of  every  star;  and  there  is  opportunity  to 
compare  this  with  the  conduct  of  the  sinner,  how,  in  bold  relief, 
will  his  iniquities  stand  out  to  view! 

In  the  mean  time,  they  will  not  be  able  to  recollect  that  they 
ever,  in  any  case,  turned  a  hungry  beggar  from  their  door. 

Probably  many,  who  will  be  the  subjects  of  this  condemnation, 
were  the  professed  o!lowers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  many 
served  at  his  altar.  There  will  be  heard,  at  least,  this  murmur, 
"  We  have  eaten  and  drunken  in  thy  presence,  and  thou  hast  taught 
in  our  streets;"  but  he  will  add,  "I  know  you  not."  "Depart 
from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity." 

3.  It  hardly  need  be  said,  that  when  this  sentence  is  issued,  the 
culprit  will  go  despairing. 

They  will  feel  as  if  they  had  turned  their  backs  upon  the  who  e 
civilized  world,  and  that  the  whole  civilized  world  have  turned 
their  backs  upon  thern. 

O,  who  that  has  human  feelings  can  but  stop  and  wail  over  this 
wide-spread  desolation  and  ruin  !  "  They  were  flesh  of  our  flesh, 
and  bone  of  our  bone."  Many  of  them,  perhaps,  went  from  our 
families  and  our  firesides  down  to  that  unspeakable  wo. 

Truly  the  world  of  death  will  be  a  dark  spot  in  the  moral  crea- 
ation  of  God  ! ! 


No.    XX. 

MATTHEW  vnr.  34. 
And,  behold,  the  whole  city  came  out  to  meet  Jeaus  ;  and  when  they  saw  him,  they  besought 
him  that  lie  would  depart  out  of  their  coast. 

The  Lord  Jesus  sometimes  retired  from  the  multitude,  that  he 
might  rest  from  the  fatigue  of  constant  labor.  On  one  occasion, 
he  directed  the  disciples  to  carry  him  over  the  lake,  where  on  his 
arrival,  he  had  opportunity  to  cast  out  the  devils  who  possessed 
two  men.  The  devils,  having  besought  him  to  let  them  enter  a 
herd  of  swine,  he  did  so,  and  they  all  ran  down  into  the  sea  and 
perished.  The  people,  afflicted  with  their  loss,  prayed  him  to  de- 
part out  of  their  coast. 

The  subject  will  furnish  me  an  occasion  to  show  why  a  people 
sometimes  suffer  the  Lord  Jesus  to  depart  from  them,  after  he 
has  been  present  to  revive  and  save  them. 

Let  the  question  be,  why  do  revivals  of  religion  subside  1 

I.  Because  even  the  people  of  God  have  not  fully  appreciated 
their  value  to  themselves,  or  to  the  world  around  them,  dying  in  a 
mass  in  their  iniquities. 

Revivals  are  their  watering,  their  growing  seasons.  But  for 
them,  our  Christians  would  die  before  they  had  made  much  ad- 
vancement in  holiness,  and  half  had  failed  of  heavenly  happiness. 

II.  They  are  not  as  much  revived  as  the  occasion  demands,  or 
as  they  seem  to  be,  and  are  held  up  to  unnatural  exertions,  which 
are  required  beyond  their  feelings.  The  bow  is  bent  to  unnatural 
intensity.  They  are  tired  of  the  work  of  gathering  in  such  an 
abundant  harvest. 

III.  There  are  sacrifices  demanded  of  them  that  they  are  not 
willing  longer  to  endure  ;  they  would  fold  their  hands  and  lie  down 
and  rest;  they  are  tired  of  the  call  any  longer  to  perpetual  exer- 
tion, and  would  say,  "A  little  more  sleep,  a  little  more  slumber, 
a  little  more  folding  of  the  hands  to  sleep,"  forgetting  that  God 
has  added,  "  so  shall  thy  poverty  come.'''' 

IV.  They  imagine  that  the  work  must  subside  of  course.  Show- 
ers cannot  last  through  the  year.    Past  revivals  have  all  gone  over. 

V.  They  persuade  themselves  that  they  have  done  pretty  well 
already.     They  have  worked  hard  several  months. 


3M  SHORT    SERMONS,  OR 

VI.  Because  many  professed  Christians  never  came  up  to  the 
work  at  all,  and  they  will  now  step  out  of  the  harness,  to  let  others 
labor  in  their  turn.     They  felt  reproached  till  the  work  subsided. 

VII.  Because  the  Christians  each  supposed  that  he  would  throw 
off  the  responsibility  of  letting  the  work  subside.  Ah,  how  mis- 
taken !  The  ship's  crew  are  perishing,  and  a  few  hundred  souls 
are  saved,  but  scores  and  thousands  are  crying  out  for  help.  0, 
send  us  the  life  boat ! 

If  any  one  man  in  the  Church  must  feel  the  whole  responsibility, 
he  would  die. 

VIII.  Because  they  often  think  that  more  has  been  accomplished 
than  has  been.  Some  have  seemed  to  yield  who  are  going  back. 
Some  have  been  brought  to  the  house  of  God,  who  will  turn  away. 
Some  have  seemed  reformed,  but  are  returning  again,  "like  the 
dog  to  his  vomit,  and  the  sow  that  was  washed,  to  her  wallowing 
in  the  mire." 

IX.  Some  let  go,  because  their  worldly  business  pressed  them. 
They  had  not  time  to  keep  on.  Their  spirit  of  worldliness  com- 
plained, they  again  wanted  to  take  hold  of  the  things  of  this  life. 

X.  Some  let  go  because  they  thought  they  could  easily  take 
hold  again.  But  they  now  find  that  they  have  lost  a  precious  ad- 
vantage, for  the  god  of  this  world  will  not  be  so  easily  divorced  as 
they  imagine. 

XI.  The  people  sometimes  throw  the  responsibility  on  the  min- 
ister, and  he  sometimes  on  them.  Whichever  way  this  happens, 
it  is  wrong;  for  the  minister  must  feel  that  he  is  at  the  head  of  a 
party  which  is  to  save  the  perishing  and  lost  in  the  congregation, 
and  his  Church  are  to  feel  that  they  are  to  be  workers  together 
with  God,  in  saving  the  hundreds  ready  to  perish. 

XII.  Sinners  quit  the  means  of  grace  because  the  Church  begin 
to  let  their  consciences  alone. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Revivals  should  never  subside.  If  the  causes  of  the  decline 
are  always  wicked,  then  they  should  never  exist. 

If  exertions  are  made  that  are  inconsistent  with  health  and  order, 
they  should  never  have  been  made,  but  if  correct  exertions  they 
should  never  subside. 

If  the  feelings  of  God's  people  have  not  risen  above  what  was 
proper,  they  should  never  be  permitted  to  ebb.  And  we  have  ne- 
Ver  known  a  revival  where  correct  feeling  exceeded  the  bounds 
of  propriety. 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  349 

2.  Tf  a  people  have  let  a  season  of  revival  go  by,  it  becomes 
them  to  be  humble  and  inquire  how  they  can  ever  be  forgiven. 

3.  They  should  immediately  rise  to  all  that  feeling  and  exertion 
which  a  state  of  revival  demands. 

4.  When  God's  Churches  will  act  right,  then  will  commence  a 
train  of  revivals  that  will  never  subside.  They  will  not  only  go 
round  the  year,  but  will  go  round  the  circle  of  many  years. 

We  shall  have  an  Egyptian  harvest  where  one  crop  will  come  in 
after  another,  and  we  shall  have  the  joy  of  shouting  the  harvest 
home  at  the  return  of  every  moon.  Every  spring-tide  will  hear 
shouted  reports  of  a  correspondent  spring-tide  in  the  moral  world. 
The  showers  of  grace  will  fall  so  uniformly  and  abundantly  that 
we  shall  have  only  to  gather  in  the  fruits  of  one,  and  another  har- 
vest begins  while  yet  there  are  abundant  fruits  of  the  former  har- 
vest safely  lodged  in  the  granary  to  feed  and  replenish  the  whole 
land. 

O  then,  with  how  much  joy  will  the  Churches  join  to  shout  the 
millennial  harvest  home !  !  till  with  a  glad  response,  the  heavenly 
arches  will  gladly  and  cheerfully  respond  a  long  and  loud 
Amen ! 


No.  XXI. 

PROVERBS    IV.    18. 

But  the  path  of  the  just  is  as  the  shining  li^'ht  that  shiiietb   more  and  more  uiito  the  perfect 

day. 

This  is  one  of  those  texts  that  I  have  always  been  afraid  to  use 
in  publishing  the  word  of  the  Lord.  I  have  had  my  fears  about 
my  use  of  it.  It  seems  to  exhibit  the  Christian  as  in  happy  cir- 
cumstances. He  seems  to  set  out  with  the  morning  sun  and  to 
travel  with  its  beams  meridian,  and  his  path  to  shine  more  and 
more  luminous  until  he  comes  to  the  perfect  day.  But  I  have 
been  afraid  that  this  view  of  the  Christian  character  would  not 
comport  with  matters  of  fact  or  with  my  own  experience.  I  have 
been  afraid  to  exhibit  the  Christian  as  a  timid  and  fearful  man, 
and  to  be  in  doubt  all  the  way  whether  he  should  reach  heaven  at 

VOL.  II.  44 


346  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

last.  And  still  the  contrary  view  I  dare  not  exhibit,  I  dare  not 
exhibit  the  Christian  feeling  his  way  along  toward  heaven  like  a 
blind  man,  lest  this  gloomy  view  should  not  comport  with  the 
Scriptures.  For  "  the  path  of  the  just,  "  we  are  told,  "  is  as  the 
shining  light  that  shines  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day." 
Still  one  is  troubled  to  explain  a  passage  like  this,  "  Whoso  walk- 
eth  in  darkness  and  hath  no  light,  let  him  trust  in  the  Lord  and 
stay  himself  upon  his  God."  But  unless  this  text  corresponds 
with  that  other  text,  "  Clouds  and  darkness  are  around  about 
him,  judgment  and  righteousness,  are  the  habitation  of  his  throne," 
referring  the  whole  to  the  events  of  Divine  Providence  that  may 
for  a  moment  obscure  the  path  of  life  while  yet  it  is  destined  to 
shine  out  at  length  in  all  its  brightness  and  glory,  then  it  will  be 
on  the  whole  difficult  to  exhibit  the  Christian  course  consistently 
with  the  plodding,  hesitating  experience  of  many  believers.  But 
we  must  "  let  God  be  true,  though  every  man  a  liar."  This  is  a 
maxim  in  my  exhibition  of  Divine  truth,  which  I  have  always  en- 
deavored to  pursue,  hoping  so  to  shape  my  course  that  I  may 
come  out  at  last  the  friend  of  God. 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  guiding  his  people  to  heaven  where  he 
will  at  last  see  the  King  in  his  beauty,  and  rejoice  and  be  glad  in 
him  for  ever.  All  the  light  therefore  that  comes  from  heaven,  and 
shines  upon  the  Christian's  path,  is  calculated  to  guide  him  there. 
The  church  is  represented  as  conducted  on  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
that  happy  world  where  the  Redeemer  is.  The  Light  by  which' 
they  pass  onto  that  world  which  shines  from  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  Lamb.     We  are  thus  prepared  to  say,  in  the 

L  Place  where  heaven  is.  The  place  where  there  is  a  concen- 
tration  of  all  that  light  that  shines  upon  the  Christian  course. 

IL  We  3ee  how  we  are  to  know  that  our  course  is  toward 
heaven.  If  we  suppose  holy  actions  to  shine  more  luminously 
than  any  other  course  in  this  world,  and  that  every  exercise  of  holy 
affections,  was  a  star  thrown  out  in  that  place  where  he  puts  forth 
that  exercise  by  those  who  are  treading  the  path  toward  heaven  ; 
we  see  how  at  length  that  must  become  a  very  luminous  path. 

III.  We  see  how  others  may  know  as  well  as  ourselves  that  our 
path  is  directly  toward  heaven. 

IV.  Thus  we  see  how  we  can  have  evidence  that  we  are  ov  are 
not  growing  in  grace.  If  we  are  thus  growing,  our  path  will  be- 
come brighter  and  brighter,  and  we  shall  have  increased  more  and 


OTTTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  347 

more,  the  evidence  that  we  are  risen  with  Christ,  and  seeking  those 
things  that  are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of 
God. 

V.  The  evidence  is  rather  against  us,  if  we  find  our  joy  dimin- 
ished, and  our  lamp  go  out,  for  we  have  abundant  Divine  assurance 
to  prove  that  God  would  make  our  path  more  luminous,  instead 
of  more  dark. 


# 


No.   XXII. 

GENESIS   XXVII.    22. 
The  voice  is  Jacob's  voice,  but  tlie  liands  are  the  hands  of  Esau. 

When  Jacob  was  old  and  had  become  blind,  he  one  day  sent  his 
son  Esau  into  the  field  to  procure  venison  and  prepare  him  savory 
meat,  that  while  he  ate  it  and  was  happy,  he  might  deliver  to  him 
the  prediction  which  in  those  days  fathers  were  accustomed  to 
deliver  to  their  children  before  their  death.  This  prediction  was 
often  a  prophecy,  especially  in  the  case  of  the  Patriarchs,  in  the 
land  of  Israel.  In  the  case  of  the  pious  patriarchs,  Abraham,  Isaac 
and  Jacob  especially,  the  prediction  delivered  over  their  children 
told  the  whole  story  down  to  the  end  of  the  patriarchal  system. 
But  in  an  evil  hour  Esau  had  sold  his  birthright  to  Jacob  for  a 
mess  of  pottage.  But  the  father,  either  not  knowing  of  the  trans- 
action, or  not  remembering  it,  was  about  to  counteract  the  design, 
and  still  give  the  birthright  to  Esau,  and  had  sent  him  into  the 
field  to  procure  savory  meat  with  that  intent.  But  Jacob  was  in- 
duced by  Rebekah  his  mother  to  procure  some  meat  while  Esau 
was  in  the  field,  and  thus  obtain  the  blessing  clandestinely.  She 
so  directed  him  as  to  carry  the  deception  through,  and  make  his 
father  think  he  was  blessing  Esau,  while  in  fact  he  was  blessing 
Jacob.  He  was  to  cover  his  hands  that  he  might  appear  hairy  as 
Esau  was.  But,  as  nature  will  be  true  to  herself,  he  could  not  as- 
sume the  voice  of  Esau,  although  he  deceptively  covered  his  hands  ; 
and  when  at  length  Esau  came  from  the  field  weary  and  hungry, 
and  the  moment  of  the  transaction  had  arrived,  he  stated  to  his 
father  that  he  had  come  to  present  to  him  the  venison  he  had  gone 
to  procure  in  the  field. 


348  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

The  transaction  was  very  solemn,  and  very  ntionnentous  to  the 
whole  patriarchal  family,  as  we  shall  see  in  the  sequel. 

And  now  to  make  use  of  the  text,  we  shall  draw  from  it  this 
doctrine.  It  illustrates  the  dissonance  between  the  profession  of  the 
lips  and  the  action  of  the  hands.  The  lips,  you  are  aware,  are  used 
as  the  organ  of  profession,  and  the  hands  the  instrument  of  action. 

This  want  of  agreement  or  dissonance,  I  shall  attempt  to  illus- 
trate. 

1.  We  hear  many  a  man  pray  for  a  revival,  and  in  long  protract- 
ed quotations  from  the  Old  Testament.  He  will  plead  that  "  the 
mountain  of  the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  be  established  in  the  top 
of  the  mountains,  and  it  shall  be  exalted  above  the  hills;  and  peo- 
ple shall  flow  unto  it."  And  we  hear  him  plead  again  "  that  right- 
eousness may  run  down  our  streets  like  a  mighty  shower." 

2.  We  hear  him  pour  forth  in  sweet  and  delightful  strains  for 
the  Jews,  the  ancient  people  of  God,  that  they  may  be  brought  in 
with  the  fulness  of  the  Gentile  nations." 

3.  We  hear  him  pray  for  the  slaves,  the  sable  sons  of  Africa — 
that  "Ethiopia  may  stretch  out  her  hands  to  God." 

4.  We  hear  him  pray  for  the  suffering  poor,  that  "  God  would 
feed  them,  and  comfort  them,  and  guide  them  by  his  counsel,  and 
afterward  bring  them  to  glory." 

5.  We  hear  him  pray  for  the  heathen,  "that  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  may  be  enlarged  from  the  river  to  the  ends  of  the  earth- 
that  the  heathen  may  come  to  his  light,  and  kings  to  the  bright- 
ness of  his  rising."  But  when  we  have  looked  the  prayer  over 
and  repeated  all  the  quotations  which  would  take  an  hour,  we  are 
anxio'is  to  know  whether  those  who  thus  devoutly  pray,  do  as  well 
as  pray — whether  they  have  poured  in  for  the  conversion  of  the 
Jews,  their  silver  and  gold  ;  whether  they  have  opened  their  hearts 
wide  for  the  poor  heathen  ;  whether  they  have  treated  the  slave 
more  kindly  than  other  men  ;  and  whether  they  are  willing  to  make 
a  sacrifice  for  them. 

REMARKS. 

1.  We  see  the  sure  and  only  way  to  happiness  and  glory.  We 
are  to  see  at  all  times  that  the  language  of  our  lips  corresponds 
with  our  actions. 

2.  We  see  how  evidently  those  are  mistaken  who  appear  happy, 
but  do  not  live  uprightly,  and  do  not  let  their  life  correspond  with 
their  profession. 

3.  "  Honesty  is  the  best  policy."     If  Jacob  had  acted  with  per- 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  349 

feet  uprightness,  we  should  never  have  been  interested  or  troubled 
with  the  history  of  his  wrongs,  and  the  outrageous  attack  of  the 
inhabitants  upon  his  family,  and  we  should  never  have  heard,  in 
his  dying  benediction,  "Cursed  be  thy  wrath,  for  it  was  Ci  uel." 
And  Jacob  would  never  had  to  sleep  on  the  stones  at  Jordan,  iiiid 
have  felt  the  loneliness  and  the  desertion  of  that  hour. 

4.  But  good  often  comes  out  of  evil.  We  never  should  luive 
had  the  history  of  Penuel  and  the  naine  of  Israel,  nor  have  read  of 
that  brook  where  he  passed  with  his  stafl'  and  had  now  returned 
with  two  bands.  Nor  have  read  of  the  ladder  that  reached  to 
heaven  on  which  the  angels  of  God  ascended  and  descended,  or  of 
the  Lord  of  angels  with  whom  he  conversed,  who  declared  him- 
self to  be  his  God,  and  promised  "  that  in  him  and  in  his  se  d  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed." 

5.  Parents  would  do  well  to  beware  how  they  lead  their  child- 
ren into  sin.  If  his  mother  Rebekah  had  not  instigated  him  to  sin, 
and  to  do  that  deed  that  ruined  his  brother's  prospects  for  ever, 
she  would  not  have  had  to  lay  in  sleepless  agony,  while  he  slept 
upon  that  journey  by  the  side  of  that  stream,  and  where  he  after- 
ward wrestled  with  God  and  prevailed,  and  where  he  built  an  altar 
to  the  Lord  who  was  with  him  in  the  way  that  he  went. 


No.  XXIII. 

ECCLESIASTES  VIH.ll. 

n  'cuiisf  s-ntence  against  an  evil  wmk  is  not  exi'cuiud  speedily,  therefore  the  heart  of  the  sons 
of  m  n  is  fully  3  't  in  tiiein  to  do  evil. 

In  what  emphatic  lines  does  the  text  express  the  long  suffering 
patience  of  God  ^.  It  is  here  drawn  from  that  very  mercy  provided, 
that  lets  the  sinner  live  ;  that  feeds  and  clothes  him  ;  and  comforts 
him,  and  heals  all  his  sickness.  And  all  this  is  from  the  slowness 
of  the  wrath  of  Cod  to  punish  iniquity. 

Here  let  it  be  my  object  to  show, 

I.  That  God   i«  very  slow  in   punishing  iniquity. 
A  cursory  view  of  some  scripture  facts  on  this  subject,  will  pour 
upon  it  an  overwhelming  li^'-ht. 

He  bore  with  the  old  world,  we  know,  after  he  had  resolved  on 


350  SHORT   SERMONS,    OR 

its  destruction,  one  hundred  and  twenty  years.  He  let  the  right- 
eous soul  of  Lot  suffer  all  this  time  with  their  prevailing  iniquities. 

He  bore  with  the  Canaanites,  four  hundred  years  after  the  cry  of 
their  crimes  had  reached  his  holy  ear. 

And  he  bore  with  Sodom  after  the  cry  of  its  iniquities  had  gone 
up  to  heaven,  and  been  reported  through  that  happy  world  for  sev- 
eral generations. 

He  bore  with  Ahab,  after  he  had  provoked  the  Lord  God  to  anger, 
and  after  he  had  sinned  more  than  all  the  kings  that  were  before 
him. 

And  he  bore  with  Jezebel  after  she  had  spilled  the  blood  of  the 
prophets,  and  after  she  had  filled  her  whole  kingdom  with  false 
prophets,  and  with  lies  and  blood ;  and  after  she  had  committed 
iniquities,  that  ought  to  have  hanged  her  long  before. 

And  he  bore  with  Voltaire  after  he  had  been  an  infidel  beyond 
the  ordinary  age  of  man,  and  had  filled  his  own  land  and  all  other 
lands  within  his  reach,  with  his  "  wrath  against  the  Nazarenes," 
and  his  exterminating  quarrel  with  the  whole  Church  of  the  Living 
God. 

And  he  has  born  with  drunkards,  and  the  profane,  and  the  de- 
bauched, till  they  have  wearied  out  his  patience  and  filled  the  whole 
world  with  crimes.  He  bore  with  Nero,  and  Alexander,  and  Bona- 
parte, till  their  crimes  had  gone  up  to  heaven.  And  we  could 
name  others,  who  were  systematic  in  their  crimes,  and  spilt  the 
best  blood  in  their  kingdoms  ;  destined  at  length  to  come  down 
blasted  and  disgraced  like  old  oaks  of  the  wood,  that  had  been 
withered  by  the  lightnings  of  heaven,  and  stood  the  curse  of  the 
forest  for  a  century. 

It  will  be  my  object  to  show, 

n.  That  for  this  very  reason,  because  God  endures,  men  have 
grown  presumptuous  in  their  sins. 

In  many  of  the  cases  referred  to,  this  is  too  evidently  a  fact  to  be 
denied.  How  long  was  God  provoked  with  the  iniquities  of  Pha- 
raoh !  until  the  punishments  that  God  poured  upon  that  land  had 
reached  every  house,  and  scattered  desolation  and  death  through 
every  family. 

But  a  more  important  inquiry  is, 

III.  How  is  it  that  this  long  suffering  patience  of  God  emboldens 
men  in  their  iniquities'! 

1.  In  the  first  place,  it  gives  them  leisure  to  sophisticate  the 
truth.     It  leads  them  on  in  the  boldest  perversions  of   infidelity  ; 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  351 

hence  sprang  up  that  proverb,   "  Since   the   fathers  fell  asleep  all 
things  continue  as  they  were  from  the  beginning." 

2.  It  gives  them  time  to  mature  their  vicious  habits.  Doubtless 
the  old  world  was  much  the  more  wicked  because  they  lived  so 
long. 

3.  Men  become  committed  against  the  truth,  and  do  many  deeds 
of  darkness  in  consequence  of  those  commitments.  Jezebel  had 
her  false  prophets,  and  her  "prophets  of  the  grove,"  who  fed  at 
her  table,  and  lived  on  her  bounty,  until  the  moment  came  when 
God  would  have  her  thrown  from  her  own  window,  and  her  body 
collected  as  mere  food  for  dogs. 

How  amazing  is  tlielong  suffering  patience  of  God,  that  he  will 
so  permit   his  rich  mercies  to  be  abused  ! 

If  there  is  any  one  thought  that  adds  to  the  climax  of  total  de- 
pravity, and  renders  men  more  desperate  still  than  they  would 
seem  to  be,  it  is  this  very  one,  that  men  have  abused  the  goodness 
of  the  Lord  so  as  to  infer  from  it  liberty  to  sin. 


No.  XXIV. 

1   JOHN  III.  3. 
And  every  one  timt  hath  tliis  liopu  in  liim,  piiritieih  himself,  even  as  he  is  pure. 

Every  one  who  would  evince  his  right  to  hope  that  he  shall  ap- 
pear before  the  Lamb  in  the  great  last  day,  should  be  seeing  to  it 
that  this  hope  purifies  him,  as  h(?  is  pure. 

How  does  it  appear  that  this  hope  will  so  operate  1  God  thus 
asserts,  "And  every  one  that  hath  this  hope  in  him,  purifieth  him- 
self, even  as  he  is  pure." 

I.  It  sets  up  the  noblest  object  of  ambition.  To  see  Christ  as 
he  is,  and  be  like  him,  is  an  object  that  fires  the  soul  with  heavenly 
ambition.  If  one  might  hope  to  be  an  angel,  how  impressing  the 
thought  ; — but  to  hope  to  be  like  Christ,  how  much  rather. 

II.  It  offers  us  the  pleasantest  work.  What  is  so  sweet  as  to  be 
putting  on  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  put  off  the  body 
of  .sin  and  death — the  old  Adam  1 

III.  It  will  very  soon  be  done.     It  is  a  short  enterprise  j  a  few 


992  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

years  of  toil,  and  the  hill  is  ascended,  and  the  height  gained  ;  and 
then,  0  how  sweet  to  look  back  upon  the  wilderness  all  trodden 
over! 

IV.  The  work  associates  us  with  the  best  beings  that  have  ever 
lived.  The  patriarchs  and  prophets,  and  apostles  and  martyrs, 
with  all  the  holy  men  of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy,  and 
who  had  all  this  same  work  to  do  ;  and  they  did  it,  and  are  now  in 
heaven,  reaping  the  rewards  of  piety.  "Though  dead,  they  yet 
speak;"  as  remembered  holy  example  ever  will. 

V.  We  are  blessed  as  fast  as  the  work  is  done.  To  put  off  sin, 
how  sweet ;  to  be  pardoned,  how  sweet ;  but  how  much  sweeter  to 
be  holy  !  You  saw  that  family  going  to  the  West  :  how  happy, 
every  hill  they  ascended  ;  but  when  at  last  they  reached  the  heights 
of  the  Alleghany,  and  looked  down  upon  the  broad  valley  of  the  Mis- 
ssissippi,  how  sweetly  they  sat  down  to  rest;  and  they  pitied  those 
who  had  yet  the  hills  to  climb. 

VI.  Hope  looks  forward  and  sees  the  whole  journey  to  the  end  all 
through.  It  is  not  a  journey  at  a  venture  ;  it  is  not  a  leap  in  the 
dark  ;  it  is  not  a  conflict  at  hazard.  It  is  the  very  nature  of  hope 
to  keep  the  courage  up,  and  bring  the  final  issue  into  clear  view. 

Vil.  'i'he  spectators  of  the  conflict  inspirit  us.  "  Seeing  tliat  we 
are  compassed  about  with  so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us  lay 
aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  easily  beset  us,  looking 
unto  Jesus,  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith." 

VIII.  And  then,  finally,  the  crown  of  glory— the  palms  of  victory! 

KEMAKIS. 

1.  How,  then,  are  we  to  keep  alive  this  hope  1     By  urging  on  * 
the  work.     And  is  there  no  other  way  1     No,  not  any. 

2.  This  hope,  of  course,  then  falters  when  the  work  stops; 
when  we  cease  to  add  grace  to  grace,  and  cease  the  work  of  press- 
ing on  towards  the  kingdom  of  God.  I  can  tell  every  man  how 
much  hope  of  heaven  he  has,  by  his  earnestness  to  be  holy,  by  his 
cHort  to  be  clean. 

3.  But  may  not  frequent  pardons  keep  our  hope  alive,  while  yet 
we  are  not  becoming  more  holy  1  No;  not  if  our  hope  is  this 
Chri'itian  hope.  If  it  does  not  purify  us,  it  is  the  hope  of  the  hypo- 
crite, that  shall  perish  when  God  lakelh  away  the  soul.  In  the 
Holy  Scriptures  we  have  this  blessed  assurance,  that  we  are  saved 
by  hope. 

4.  But  do  not  seasons  of  reviving  prove  our  hope  a  good  one  1 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  35'3 

No ;  we   may  compass  ourselves  about  with  sparks    of  our  own 
kindling,  and  walk  by  the  light  of  our  own  fire. 

5.  How,  then,  may  we  be  sure,  if  our  hope  revives,  that  it  is  a 
good  hope,  through  grace,  and  "  shall  prove  an  anchor  to  the  soul, 
both  sure  and  steadfast"  {  There  will  revive  with  it  an  effort  to 
be  more  holy.  The  man  who  put  a  twenty  dollar  note  into  a  letter, 
the  other  day,  to  pay  one  from  whom  seven  years  ago  he  had  taken 
five  dollars,  gave  evidence  that  his  well-grounded  heavenly  hopes 
were  reviving.  That  minister  who  seemed  so  much  waked  up  to 
the  interests  of  the  soul  that  he  preached  two  hours,  would  have 
been  believed  to  have  revived  his  heavenly  hopes,  had  he  not 
broken  his  covenant  with  his  eyes  that  evening ;  that  Christian 
that  prayed  until  he  swooned,  had  he  not  been  proud  of  that  prayer, 
and  angry  to  have  its  piety  brought  into  question.  If  we  have 
this  hope  in  us,  it  must  purify  us,  even  as  Christ  is  pure. 

6.  But  must  it  make  us  perfect,  "even  as  he  is  perfect  1"  A 
revival  hope  should  keep  running  as  long  as  life  endures. 


No.  XXV. 

NUMBERS  XXIII.    10. 
Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his. 

In  this  chapter  we  have  a  fine  exhibition  of  a  conflict  between  a 
conscience  that  God  holds  under  close  restraint,  while  that  con- 
science is  connected  with  a  heart  totally  depraved. 

Balaam  was  sent  to  curse  Israel  previously  to  a  conflict  between 
them  and  the  Canaanites.  Balak  the  king  of  Moab  was  to  take  the 
leiid  in  that  war  and  hired  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  to  come  and 
curse  Israel.  He  evidently  wished  to  succeed  that  he  might  have 
the  wages  of  unrighteousness.  But  his  conscience  forbid  and  the 
dumb  ass  was  made  to  speak  and  to  rebuke  the  madness  of  the  pro- 
phet. Again  and  again  he  tried,  but  God  every  time  he  tried  for- 
bid him  and  turned  the  curse  into  blessings.  He  at  length  blessed 
them  all  together  and  inverted  the  whole  into  a  curse  upon  their 
enemies.  Death  is  not  to  the  good  man  a  surprising  event.  He 
has  thought  on  it  and  prepared  for  it.  It  is  an  event  he  has  prayed 
over  more  than  any  other  since  the  period  of  his  new  birth.     "And 

VOL.  II.  45 


354  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

he  took  up  his  parable  and  said,  Balak  the  King  of  Moab  hath 
brought  me  from  Aram,  out  of  the  mountains  of  the  east,  saying, 
come,  curse  me  Jacob,  and  come  defy  me  Israel.  How  shall  I 
curse  whom  God  hath  not  cursed  1  or  how  shall  I  defy  whom  the 
Lord  hath  not  defied  1  For  from  the  tops  of  the  rocks  I  see  liim, 
and  from  the  hills  I  behold  him ;  Lo,  the  people  shall  dwell  alone, 
and  shall  not  be  reckoned  among  the  nations.  AVho  can  count  the 
dust  of  Jacob,  and  the  number  of  the  fourth  part  of  Israel  1  Let  me 
die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his." 
Thus  have  we  in  the  closing  words  of  the  mercenary  prophet,  the 
very  language  that  will  burst  from  the  lips  of  every  dying  sinner 
It  is  easy  to  show  that  the  good  man  dies  with  a  very  diflerent  set 
of  affections. 

I.  He  can  have  the  happiest  reflections.  He  can  look  back  upon 
a  life  of  Godliness  and  forward  to  heaven  as  a  scene  of  intermina- 
ble blessedness. 

II.  He  can  take  the  happiest  circumspective  view.  He  has  kept 
his  family  and  circumstances  shaped  for  the  grave,  and  now  comes 
home,  unless  his  hope  deceives  him,  like  a  shock  of  corn  fully  ripe. 

III.  He  can  look  forward  with  pleasure.  Heaven  lies  in  his  pros- 
pect and  looms  up  before  him  like  a  ship  returning  from  sea.  He 
often  thinks  of  that  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 

IV.  He  has  made  preparation  for  his  departure.  His  peace  is 
made  with  God,  and  he  sometimes,  when  hope  prevails,  takes  hold 
of  the  things  within  the  veil. 

V.  He  dies  happy.  God  gives  him  dying  comforts.  It  is  ihe 
happiest  hour  of  his  life,  the  hour  that  introduces  him  to  his  King; 
"the  Lord  of  hosts."  It  is  the  hour  David  spoke  of  when  he  said 
"  I  shall  be  satisfied  when  1  awake  with  thy  likeness." 

VI.  Christ  is  with  him  as  he  promised,  "I  will  be  with  thee  in 
six  troubles  and  in  seven  I  will  not  forsake  thee."  Flesh  and  heart 
have  failed  him,  but  God  has  become  the  strength  of  his  heart  and 
portion  for  ever. 

VII.  Death  finishes  his  trials.  He  shall  hunger  no  more  neither 
thirst  any  more.  He  is  passing  through  the  waters,  and  the  prom- 
ise is,  "  they  shall  not  overflow  thee."  He  is  walking  through  the 
fire,  and  the  promise  is,  "it  shall  not  kindle  upon  him." 

Vlli.  Death  consummates  his  hopes.  It  introduces  him  to  better 
society  and  better  comforts  than  he  leaves  behind.  "He  traver- 
ses the  river  of  the  water  of  life  and  pluclcs  the  fruit  fresh  from 
the  tree  of  life." 


OUTLINES  OF  DiscoxmsEs.  355 

IX.  He  applies  to  his  soul  the  leaves  of  that  tree  which  it  was 
promised  should  be  "  for  the  healing  of  the  nations." 

REMARKS. 

1.  We  are  not  surprised  that  a  wicked  man  should  choose  such 
a  death. 

2.  How  astonishing  that  the  hope  of  such  a  death  should  not 
stimulate  to  a  holy  life.  "But  he  loves  the  wages  of  unrighteous- 
ness," and  rather  risks  dying  wretched  than  living  holy. 

3.  Ungodly  men  do  not  act  according  to  their  conviction.  And 
this  is  their  shame  and  will  be  their  disgrace  for  ever. 

4.  They  are  then  unreasonable  beings  and  God  will  convict  them 
out  of  their  own  mouths. 

5.  If  then  Sinners  will  treat  their  own  souls  so  unreasonably  it 
is  not  wonderful  they  will  treat  unreasonably  the  Son  of  God,  and 
pierce  themselves  through  with  many  sorrows. 


No.    XXVI. 

ACTS  xvir.  30. 
And  the  times  of  this  ignorance  God  winked  at ;  but  now  comniandeth  all  men  everywhere  (v 

repent. 

Paul  was  in  Athens,  and  preached  there,  to  a  congregation  of 
idolators  the  doctrine  of  the  text.  By  the  times  of  this  ignorance 
it  is  supposed  God  meant,  "  the  times  in  which  he  permitted  all 
nations  to  walk  in  their  own  ways." 

Nevertheless,  he  left  not  himself  without  witness,  in  that  he  did 
good,  and  gave  us  rain  from  heaven,  and  fruitful  seasons,  filling 
our  hearts  with  food  and  gladness. 

When  it  is  said,  "  the  times  of  this  ignorance  God  winked  at," 
we  are  taught,  that  when  God  has  given  up  a  nation,  or  an  indi- 
vidual, to  walk  in  his  own  ways,  he  may  leave  them  without  those 
rebukes  which  he  will  send  after  those  he  has  not  so  given  up. 
Not  that  he,  by  winking,  may  be  said  to  approve  of  their  sins. 
This  he  cannot  do.  He  long  suffered  the  Assyrians  and  Babylo- 
nians, and  the  other  nations  bordering  upon  Israel,  to  be  unmo- 
lested, but  he  afterward  punished  them. 


356>  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

Bat  men  that  have  his  word  he  commands  everywhere  to  repent 
now.  It  will  be  my  object  to  show  the  obligations  resting  vpon  all 
men  to  repent  immediately. 

1. The  duty  is  a  reasonable  one.  To  know,  and  confess,  and 
hate,  and  quit  sin,  and  undo  the  mischief  it  has  done.  Every  part 
of  it  is  most  reasonable. 

2.  The  being  sinned  against  is  doing  sinners  good.  "  He  does 
them  good,  and  gives  them  rain  from  heaven  and  fruitful  seasons, 
filling  their  hearts  with  food  and  gladness." 

3.  It  has  required  great  forbearance  in  him  to  keep  them  out 
of  hell  so  long. 

4.  They  cannot  tell  when  this  forbearance  may  cease. 

5.  This  forbearance  may  cease  suddenly.  "At  midnight  there 
was  a  cry  made,  Behold  the  bridegroom  cometh,  go  ye  out  to 
meet  him."     He  hath  set  them  in  slippery  places. 

6.  They  are  daily  increasing  the  work,  and  making  it  more  dif- 
ficult if  they  ever  should  repent. 

7.  They  have  now  more  time  to  undo  the  mischief.  This  is  a 
part  of  repentance. 

8.  If  sinners  would  treat  God  as  they  feel  themselves  obliged  to 
treat  men,  consistency  of  character  would  require  them  to  repent. 

9.  If  they  would  be  happy,  to  repent  would  set  the  conscience 
at  rest. 

10.  If  they  would  have  the  fovor  of  God,  which  is  eternal  life. 

11.  If  they  would  have  the  confidence  of  men  ;  who  can  trust 
the  man  who  w  ill  not  restore  what  he  has  robbed  from  his  Maker  1 

12.  It  is  what  we  all  mean  to  do  ;  and  while  we  delay  the  work 
is  becoming  harder.  As  the  sinner  goes  away  from  God,  his  path 
becomes  overgrown  with  thorns  and  briars;  compelling  him,  if 
ever  he  returned.,  to  hew  a  passage  back  to  God  and  heaven,  and 
the  way  of  life,  by  dint  of  excessive  labor, 

13.  It  is  the  command  of  God.  And  if  God  did  not  command 
us  to  do  what  would  do  ourselves  infinite  good,  we  should  still  be 
under  unalterable  obligations  to  obey.  But  when  he  commands 
us  to  do  that  which  will  thus  make  us  happy  in  all  the  processes, 
and  eternally  blessed  at  the  end,  our  obligations  to  obedience  are 
amazingly  multiplied. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Then  sinners  cannot  be  convicted  too  soon. 

2.  Then  ministers  cannot  preach  too  plain. 

3.  Then  convicted  sinners  cannot  be  too  much  distressed. 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  357 

4.  Then  we  should  let  no  stupid  sinner  alone. 

5.  We  should  consider  our  children  ruined  till  they  repent. 

6.  Thus  there  is  no  security  for  character  till  men  repent. 

7.  Thus  godliness  has  promise  of  the  "  life  that   now  is,  as  of 
that  which  is  to  come." 


^ 


No.   XXVII. 

JEKEMIAH  XVII.  5. 
'I'hiis  saitli  the  Lord  ;  rursed  be  the  iiiuii  that  trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh  flesh  his  arm,  and 
whose  lieart  departeth  from  the  Lnrd ;  for  he  shall  b.;   like    thti  hcatll   in   the  desert,  and  shall 
not  see  when  good  cmneth  ;  but  sliall  iiiliabit  the  parched  places  in  the  wilderness,  in  a  salt  land 
and  not  inhabited. " 

To  trust  in  the  Lord,  and  make  flesh  our  arm,  and  have  our 
heart  depart  from  the  Lord,  are  three  phrases  meaning  the  same 
thing;  and  is  characteristic  of  the  whole  human  family  by  nature. 
It  describes  a  heart  that  leans  toward  the  creature  in  all  its  opera- 
tions, and  in  all  its  hopes,  and  in  the  whole  volume  of  its  desires 
and  wishes.  Thus  have  we  an  inspired  description  of  the  nature 
of  man  as  he  came  out  from  the  hand  of  his  Creator,  and  as  he 
goes  on  to  operate  in  this  dying  world  to  form  a  character  in  pre- 
paration for  his  eternal  state.  This  condition  of  man  I  shall  at- 
tempt to  describe. 

I.  He  relies  on  his  own  resources  to  supply  his  wants  in  this 
world.  He  trusts  in  riches,  forgetting  that  they  "  take  themselves 
wings  and  fly  away,  as  an  eagle  toward  heaven."  No  man  can 
tell,  whatever  his  resources  are  to-day,  that  he  shall  not  be  a  beg- 
gar to-morrow. 

1.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  man  who  depends  upon  human 
esteem  to  establish  his  character.  No  one  but  he  who  has  the  whole 
character  in  his  hand,  and  has  under  his  entire  control  all  the 
future  circumstances  that  go  to  make  up  that  character,  can  tell 
what  may  be  the  changes  that  may  go  to  alter  his  character  and 
form  him  for  an  entirely  difl^erent  future  destiny  than  that  to  which 
he  seems  subjected  to-day. 

2.  And  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  man  that  founds  his  hopes 
of  heaven  on  the  opinion  that  others,  in  an  incautious  hour,  may 


358  SHORT    SERMO^'S. 

have  expressed  of  his  character.  On  this  ground,  Judas  had  a 
good  character,  who  afterward  sold  and  betrayed  his  master  for 
thirty  pieces  of  silver.  He  knew  not  "  what  manner  of  man  he 
was." 

3.  The  man  who  thus  founds  his  hopes  of  heaven  on  the  opin- 
ion of  others,  does  not  much  differ  from  him  who  depends  upon 
human  means  to  bring  him  to  that  eternal  life  he  hopes  for.  His 
hope  of  heaven  will  not  be  very  likely  to  prove  that  "anchor  of 
the  soul  both  sure  and  steadfast,  entering  into  that  which  is  within 
the  veil."  He  will  be  liable  to  be  driven  about  by  every  wind  of 
doctrine,  and  exhibit  a  piety  too  vascillating  to  take  a  firm  hold  of 
those  realities  revealed  as  the  objects  of  faith. 

4"  The  same  is  the  case  with  the  man  who  intends  to  meet  God 
without  a  Savior,  and  lays  the  foundation  of  his  immortal  hopes  on 
any  good  deeds  he  has  done  or  may  do.  He  will  find,  at  length, 
that  God  is  a  consuming  fire,  and  after  he  has  walked  awhile  by 
the  light  of  his  own  fire,  he  will  have  to  lie  down  in  everlasting 
sorrow 

II.  I  shall  attempt  to  decipher  the  illustration  given  us  in  the 
text. 

1.  "  He  shall  be  like  the  heath  in  the  desert,  and  shall  not  see 
when  good  cometh." 

We  have  here  a  description  of  one  of  those  vast  tracts  of  the 
eastern  desert  covered  with  moveable  sand,  on  which  nothing  will 
grow,  but  the  meanest  stinted  heath  (so  called)  or  shrub,  rising 
but  a  few  feet  from  the  ground,  and  where  it  stands  the  everlast- 
ing curse  of  the  soil  that  grows  it.  "  He  shall  not  see  when  good 
cometh."  That  is,  when  another  part  of  the  desert  may  be  water- 
ed by  some  fortuitous  shower  or  dew,  none  will  come  nigh  to  it. 
The  condition  of  the  plant  described  is  farther  illustrated,  when  it 
is  said  to  inhabit  the  "  parched  places  in  the  wilderness,  in  a  salt 
land  not  inhabited."  Thus  is  added  to  sterility  the  idea  of  salt- 
ness,  which  proves  the  source  of  barrenness  through  the  whole 
vegetable  world  ;  which  shows  the  lonely  and  desolate  condition 
as  well  as  barrenness  of  the  plant  that  attempts  to  grow  and  bear 
fruit,  and  come  to  any  thing  like  maturity  in  this  woful  spot. 


No.   XXVIII. 

2  CORINTHIANS  VI.  2. 
Behold  now  is  the  accepted  time  ;  behold  now  is  the  day  of  salvation. 

It  is  a  gross  and  fatal  error  in  the  public  creed  and  conscience, 
that  effects  are  not  looked  for  at  the  moment,  or  are  to  be  expected 
when  the  sfospel  is  preached.  Ministers  have  not  calculated  that 
God  will  give  his  word  success  lohile  yet  they  are  speaking.  And 
Christians  have  unkindly  prayed  and  calculated  that  the  truth  may 
lodge  and  do  good  at  some  future  hour.  And  sinners  have  laid 
up  the  truth  for  future  use.  Thus  the  gospel  receives  a  go-by  for 
the  present  moment.     And  yet, 

I.  The  claims  of  the  gospel  forbid  all  this. 

1.  It  proffers  sinners  every  blessing  they  need  ;  pardon,  justifi- 
cation, adoption,  sanctification,  peace  of  conscience,  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  eternal  life. 

2.  Its  injunctions  are  from  the  highest  authority  ;  from  God, 
from  Jesus  Christ,  from  the  Holy  Ghost ;  from  him  who  holds  in 
his  hands  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death. 

3.  It  proffers  blessings  that  sinners  cannot  do  Avithout.  They 
are  undone  now  without  them,  and  without  them  are  lost  for  ever. 

4.  It  sets  \\\e  jyresent  time  as  the  only  one  for  the  acceptance  of 
its  blessing.  They  are  withdrawn  if  not  now  accepted,  to  be 
offered  again  perhaps  never  ! 

5.  The  offer  is  taken  back  unless  accepted  now. 

6.  The  present  acceptance  of  the  gospel  is  more  probable  now, 
than  at  any  future  time,  and  the  recording  angel  waits  to  minute 
the  sinner's  refusal.  As  the  sinner  glides  down  the  broad  smooth 
way  to  death,  a  wilderness  of  thorns  and  briars  grow  up  behind 
him,  high  as  heaven,  thsough  which  he  must  hew  his  way  back,  if 
he  ever  reaches  heaven ;  hence  every  furlong  he  proceeds,  in- 
creases the  improbability  of  his  safe  and  timely  retreat. 

II.   Why  then  does  the  gospel  produce  no  immediate  effect  % 

1.  Because  the  gospel  offers  the  sinner  a  salvation  he  disap- 
proves;  a  holy  salvation,  ^gracious  salvation. 

2.  It  requires  him  to  put  on  a  character  that  he  disapproves  and 
hates ! 


360 


SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 


3.  It  proffers  the  formation  of  relationships  that  are  unwelcome  ; 
to  all  the  regenerate  ;  a  brotherhood  and  heirship  with  Jesus 
Christ  ;  a  kind  and  eternal  fraternity  with  the  household  of 
faith. 

4.  There  are  pleasures  and  friendships  to  be  given  up,  that  are 
greatly  beloved.  The  heart  has  taken  a  dying  hold  of  objects  that 
prolong  its  death. 

5.  The  sinner  is  too  stupid  to  estimate  the  value  of  the  offer 
made.  The  mind  is  a  vacuum  that  has  been  empty  till  it  hates 
truth,  and  will  not  think.     It  instinctively  repels  the  truth. 

6.  The  offer  of  the  gospel  mercy  is  considered  a  mere  intellec- 
tual proposition,  that  the  sinner  is  to  survey,  and  contemplate,  and 
reason  about.  But  God  directs  his  gospel  to  the  heart,  for  it  to 
feel  and  act  upon.  It  is  a  blaze  sent  to  melt  the  heart,  (the  blow 
pipe).  It  is  a  hammer  lifted  by  the  hand  of  God  to  break  the 
heart.  It  is  a  charge  meant  to  be  lodged  deep  in  the  heart,  to 
blow  it  up,  and  send  it  broken  and  shivered  to  the  skies.  It  has 
to  do  with  the  understanding  and  conscience  only,  as  they  consti- 
tute the  pass  way  to  the  heart.  If  the  truth  lodges  in  either,  and 
does  not  travel  on  to  the  heart,  nothing  is  done.  If  when  it  comes 
there  it  meets  a  rock,  it  rebounds  back  to  heaven.  If  the  mind 
and  conscience,  truth's  avenue,  be  cased  over,  and  thus  its  passage 
to  the  heart  be  blocked  up,  the  heart  remains  whole  till  the  world 
is  burned. 


No.    XXIX. 

rsALMS  cxxxvii.  5,  6. 
If  I  forgot  ttiee,  O  Jorusnlfim,  let  my  right  hand  forgi't  her  cunning.     If  I  do  not  rememher  thee, 
lot  my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth,  if  I  prefer  not  Jerusalem  above  my  chief  joy. 

Jerusalem  was  the  centre  of  worship  in  Israel,  and  was  the  type 
of  the  church  of  God  in  after  ages.  The  kingdom  of  Christ  is 
that  absorbing  interest  that  should  occupy  supremely  the  hearts  of 
God's  people. 

I.  What  is  the  extent  of  that  interest  which  we  may  not  forget  ? 
What  does  it  imply  or  involve  1 

1.  The  divine  glory.  In  no  part  of  the  operations  of  Jehovah 
has  he  so  fully  displayed  himself  as  in  the  work    of  redemption. 


OUTLINES   OF    DISCOtrnSES.  361 

His  mighty  power  and  godhead  are  displayed  in  the  things  that 
are  seen.  His  wisdom  can  easily  be  discerned,  and  his  goodness 
inferred  fxom  the  visible  creation.  Still,  what  the  poet  says,  is 
true,  that — 

"  God,  in  the  person  of  his  Son, 
Has  all  his  mightiest  works  outdone." 

Here  the  whole  of  the  divine  character  is  drawn  out  to  view,  as 
well  as  his  grace,  and  mercy,  and  long-sufTering,  and  patience,  and 
endurance,  as  his  more  awful  and  terrifying  attributes. 

May  we,  then,  forget  an  interest  that  involves  all  these  ;  that 
lets  down,  as  it  were,  the  mighty  God  to  the  composed  and  delibe- 
rate contemplation  of  his  creatures,  or  rather,  lifts  them  into  the 
rank  of  angels,  and  to  a  close  and  intimate  companionship  with 
himself,  and  with  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ  \  Now,  where  is  an  interest 
so  grand  as  this,  or  that  may  a  moment  come  in  for  so  larofe  a 
share  of  our  affections,  and  command  away  our  thoughts  and  our 
contemplations  1 

2.  The  interest  of  Zion  involves  the  salvation  of  sinners.  The 
church  is  composed  of  redeemed  sinners.  If  it  becomes  enlarged, 
sinners  are  saved  ;  and  when  stationary,  none  are  added  to  the 
number  of  the  saved.  A  long  suspension  of  the  divine  influence 
may  harden  many,  till  they  shall  become  incorrigible,  and  the  truth 
never  take  hold  again  of  their  affections  and  their  hearts.  While 
our  children  shall  see  us  caring  supremely  for  Zion,  they  will  not 
forget  that  they  are  the  children  of  the  covenant  and  the  hope  of 
the  Church,  and  will  view  themselves  as  not  at  liberty  to  go  on  in 
the  way  of  transgressors.  Could  we  properly  estimate  the  worth 
of  the  soul,  we  should  never  sufllsr  any  other  interest  to  come  in 
competition  with  it.  What  may  I  remember — what  may  I  not  for- 
get, if  Jerusalem  has  lost  its  power  to  interest  me,  and  the  eternal 
salvation  of  my  neighbors  and  my  children  has  not  invaluable  im- 
portance in  my  estimation  \ 

3.  The  interest  of  Zion  must  prosper,  in  order  to  the  present  joy 
and  comfort  of  his  people.  This  can  be  said  of  no  other  concerns. 
We  may  be  poor  and  disgraced  and  diseased,  and  may  see  taking 
their  flight  from  us  all  the  dear  objects  of  time  and  sense,  and  yet 
may  be  happy ;  but  not  happy  is  the  people  of  God  while  Zion 
languishes.  The  captive  Jews  could  not  sing  the  Lord's  song  in 
a  strange  land  ;  their  harps  were  hung  upon  the  willows,  till  God 
should  turn  again  their  captivity. 

4..  Zion's  prosperity  involves  the  growth  and  maturity  of  religion 
VOL.  II.  46 


362  SHOET    SERMONS,    OR 

in  the  hearts  of  God's  people.  It  is  an  interest  as  dear  to  them  as 
is  their  own  final  redemption  from  sin,  and  their  complete  equip- 
ment for  the  paradise  of  God.  When  Zion  is  in  th£  dust,  be- 
lievers suffer  in  their  own  individual  spiritual  interest. 

While  I  have  thus  shown  what  is  involved  in  the  prosperity  of 
.Jerusalem,  I  have,  I  know,  offered  some  reasons  why  we  may  not 
forget  her.  But  let  us,  in  the  second  place,  look  at  another  class 
of  reasons  which  cannot  so  properly  be  considered  as  descriptive 
of  the  interest  involved. 

1.  Because  God  will  not  forget  Jerusalem,  we  may  not.  "  He 
has  graven  her  upon  the  palms  of  his  hands."  Her  walls  are  con- 
tinually before  him.  He  governs  the  world  for  her  sake,  and  will 
never  for  a  moment  turn  his  eye  from  her  interest.  While  some 
other  interest  may  attract  us,  and  we  may  not  forget  the  Church, 
and  pour  out  but  few  prayers  for  her  redemption  into  the  heart  of 
God,  she  will  continue  as  dear  and  important  as  ever.  "He  will 
guard  her  as  the  apple  of  his  eye." 

2.  The  Lord  Jesus  will  not  forget  the  interest  for  which  he  died, 
because  we  forget.  It  is  said  of  him,  you  know,  that  "  he  ever  liv- 
eth  to  make  intercessions  for  his  people."  A  perpetual  interces- 
sor!  what  a  delightful  thought!  He  will  not  then  forget  the 
church  for  which  he  is  interceding.  His  blood  will  remain  the 
price  of  her  redemption  ;  his  righteousness,  her  covering ;  his 
merits,  her  plea.  In  the  darkest  hour,  when  almost  all  have  fled, 
Jesus  is  there ;  hard  by  the  interest  he  watches,  awake  to  protect 
the  Church  he  purchased  with  his  own  blood. 

3.  Zion  may  not  be  forgotten  by  her  sons,  because  her  foes  will 
not  forget  her.  The  Church  has  ever  been  in  this  world  like  the 
bush  that  Moses  saw  burning,  but  not  consumed.  The  world  has 
viewed  her  existence  as  its  living  reproach  ;  her  prosperity  the 
object  of  its  envy,  and  her  honors  as  detracting  from  its  beauty 
and  glory.  The  report  of  all  her  revivals  has  gone  down  to  hell, 
and  circulated  through  all  its  precincts,  to  the  glory  of  her  God 
and  King  ;  and  whenever  there  shall  be  another  revival,  it  will  be 
quickly  reported  in  that  territory  of  darkness.  Hence,  a  perpetual 
warfare  with  her  interests.  The  men  of  the  world  suppose  them- 
selves to  have  a  high  interest  in  the  disgrace  and  the  tears  and  the 
backslidings  of  the  Church.  They  are  mistaken :  but  this  alters 
not  the  fact  ;  and  Jerusalem  should  not  be  forgotten  by  her 
friends  while  her  foes  will  not  forget  her.  If  men  will  watch  to  do 
her  hurt,  believers  should  watch  to  do  her  good. 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  363 

Finally — we  may  not  forget  Zion,  as  the  church  below  is  inti- 
mately connected  with  the  Church  above,  and  cannot  suffer  with- 
out exciting  the  interest  of  all  heaven,  or  prosper,  but  it  gives  all 
heaven  joy. 

REMARKS. 

1.  There  can  be  no  dissentions  among  believers,  as  the  Church 
is  to  each  a  paramount  interest. 

2.  How  mistaken  are  believers,  if  they  imagine  they  can  suffer 
or  prosper  alone  I 

3.  How  this  subject  enhances  the  worth  of  a  revival  !     . 

4.  How  strikingly  will  the  world  be  one  in  her  interest,  when 
the  Lord  Jesus  shall  spread  the  glory  of  Zion  over  all  her  friends, 
and  the  whole  world  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as 
the  waters  cover  the  sea.  Ride  on,  blessed  Lord  Jesus,  conquer- 
ing and  to  conquer,  until  thy  kingdom  shall  conquer  all  the 
nations,  and  cover  the  wide  world,  and  until  the  time  has  come 
for  thee  to  reign  over  all  lands ;  and  then  thy  friends  will  sing, 
"  Lo,  this  is  our  God  ;  we  have  waited  for  him,  and  he  will  save 
us  :  this  is  the  Lord  ;  we  have  waited  for  him,  we  will  be  glad 
and  rejoice  in  his  salvation  ;"  and  will  add,  "  Blessed  be  the 
Lord  God,  the  God  of  Israel,  and  blessed  be  his  glorious  name 
for  ever,  and  let  the  whole  world  be  filled  with  his  glory  :  amen, 
and  amen!" 


No.  XXX. 

JOHN    XVII.    4. 

I  have  finished  the  work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do. 

The  character  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  the  work  that  he  would 
do,  and  the  spirit  with  which  he  would  enter  upon  that  work,  have 
been  pointed  out  to  the  world  so  distinctly  that  "the  way  faring 
though  a  fool  need  not  err  therein."  This  work  he  had  to  finish 
when  he  made  this  prayer  and  was  finishing  it  in  the  very  prayer 
itself.    Hence, 

L  He  had  to  finish  the  work  of  a  holy  apostleship  which  he  had 
been  doing  all  his  life,  but  never  finished  until  he  closed  this 
prayer,  at  the  close  of  which  he  might  have  said  "  I  am  ready  to  be 
offered." 


364  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

II.  He  had  to  finish  the  work  o{ ^  faithful  evangelist;  that  is  had  to 
show  the  apostles  what  he  required  of  them  in  the  faithful  distribu- 
tion of  his  message  to  a  ruined  world.  We  have  a  beautiful  exam- 
ple of  the  manner  in  which  this  woik  was  to  be  done  in  the  history 
of  the  adulteress  of  Sichar,  where  he  spent  several  days  to  promote 
a  blessed  work  of  God,  and  thus  blew  the  trumpet  of  the  gospel. 

III.  He  had  to  finish  the  character  of  faithfulness  as  a  professor  oj 
Godliness,  thus  evincing  himself  a  true  disciple  of  his  own  school. 

IV.  He  had  to  exhibit  to  the  full  his  character  as  an  amiable,  be- 
nevolent and  good  man.  Thus  he  would  prepare  his  family  of  dis- 
ciples to  so  exhibit  the  character  of  their  master,  as  to  prepare 
them  to  say  in  their  prayers  "  for  me  to  live  is  Christ." 

V.  He  had  to  finish  the  doing  of  the  will  of  God,  had  yet  to  die 
072  the  Cross  for  the  sins  of  a  miserable  world,  and  exhibit  in  his 
character  a  faithful  high-priest.  For  this  death,  he  was  about  to 
prepare.  The  associates  of  his  sufferings  were  making  themselves 
ready.  And  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  would  be  careful  not  to  show 
any  reluctance  to  enter  upon  this  work.  Hence  there  would  re- 
main nothing  in  his  case,  but  to  give  up  the  ghost  and  resign  life 
and  say  "  it  is  finished."  And  he  went  to  his  death  in  the  vigor  of 
manhood  and  sprightliness  of  youth,  and  bore  his  own  cross  up  the 
hill  on  which  he  was  crucified.  This  was  in  fulfillment  of  the  very 
track  that  the  prophets  had  pointed  out  for  him,  so  that  he  might 
be  said  to  die  in  the  very  centre  of  the  world  he  came  to  redeem. 
And  another  thing,  he  died  in  that  spot  where  it  could  the  most 
easily  be  communicated  to  the  rest  of  the  world,  not  only  the  his- 
tory of  his  suffering,  but  the  grand  designed  his  death.  Thus,  by 
merely  uttering  the  story  of  his  exit,  they  would  the  most  effectually 
convince  the  world  of  the  truth  of  this  story,  and  use  the  most  efTect- 
ual  means  to  bring  them  to  exercise  faith  in  his  merits,  and  in  his 
blood,  and  in  his  redemption. 

Thus  as  from  a  central  point,  there  goes  forth  the  redemption  of 
a  world  and  the  history  of  that  redemption,  and  the  only  means 
that  God  will  use  in  redeeming  to  his  Son  that  miserable  world  for 
which  the  Savior  laid  down  his  life,  and  thus  when  he  said  "  look 
unto  me  and  be  ye  saved  all  ye  ends  of  the  earth,  for  I  am  God 
and  there  is  none  else,"  the  world  would  not  have  far  to  look,  it 
would  only  have  to  glance  an  eye  through  a  few  generations. 


1.   We  learn  from  this  subject  the  grand  secret  of  being  ready  to 
die.     This  consists  in  having  our  work  all  done  ready  for  that  hour 


OUTLINES    OF    PISCOURSES. 


36^ 


2.  The  subject  leads  us  to  reflect  that  many  men  of  the  world, 
that  have  adopted  a  similar  sentiment,  would  seem  to  have  been 
inspired  in  their  adoption  of  this  sentiment.  It  was  said  of  Lord 
Nelson,  in  all  his  appointments  in  the  navy  in  the  British  govern- 
ment, that  his  concluding  remark,  was  fifteen  minutes  before  the 
time,  that  thus  they  might  save  to  each  other  and  to  him  that  pre- 
cious time  on  which  a  nation's  prosperity  might  depend.  And  this 
by  the  by,  forms  one  of  the  best  traits  of  Christian  character  and 
is  as  important  in  the  Church  of  God,  as  it  was  in  the  British  navy. 


No.    XXXI. 

ROMANS    XII.    12. 
Coiiliiiuiiig  instant  in  prayer. 

The  appropriateness  and  obligation  of  the  duty  of  prayer,  and 
the  reasons  why  it  should  be  instant,  or  earnest  and  incessant. 

I.  The  appropriateness  will  appear  when  we  consider  that  reli- 
gion qualifies  the  Christian  to  pray. 

1.  By  giving  him  a  deep  knowledge  of  his  heart. 

2.  By  giving  him  correct  views  of  God. 

3.  By  impressing  him  with  the  endured  and  impending  miseries 
of  ungodly  men.  This  pre-eminently  enables  him  to  spread  their 
whole'case  before  God,  and  to  plead  with  him  in  their  behalf. 

4.  By  correcting  his  motives  of  action,  and  thus  preparing  him 
to  pray  acceptably. 

5.  By  rendering  him  familiar  with  the  promises.  He  has  pre- 
pared him  to  lay  his  own  case  and  the  case  of  others  before  a 
prayer-hearing  God. 

6.  By  habituating  him  to  the  duty,  and  rendering  it  pleasant. 

7.  By  filling  his  soul  with  the  love  of  benevolence. 

II.  The  obligation  arises  from 

1.  The  command  of  God. 

2.  The  interest  that  the  Christian  has  in  the  Divine  glory. 

3.  He  grows  faster  when  he  prays,  and  that  in  proportion  to  the 
fervidness  of  his  prayers. 


366  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR. 

4.  He  has  the  best  evidence  of  his  own  piety. 

5.  He  gives  the  best  evidence  to  others. 

III.  Reasons  why  the  Christian  should  be  instant,  or  earnest  and 
incessant. 

1.  It  is  only  instant  prayer  that  can  be  evidence  of  strong  Chris- 
tian affections. 

2.  Each  of  the  three  cases  that  invite  him  to  prayer  are  urgent 
cases.  His  own  sanctification.  It  is  of  more  importance  to  the 
believer  thai  himself  be  saved  than  any  body  else.  And  he  sees 
the  importance  to  his  brethrert  in  Christ  of  their  salvation,  as  no- 
body else  can  see  it.  He  also  sees  the  importance  of  the  salvation 
of  sinners.  "  Hence  knowing  the  terrors  of  the  law,  he  persuades 
men." 

3.  God  has  given  special  promise  to  incessant,  urgent,  instant 
prayer.     Hence  the  cases  spoken  of  in  the  Scripture. 

4.  The  little  time  he  has  to  pray  and  labor  for  God  and  his 
kingdom,  and  therefore  "he  must  do  whatsoever  his  hands  find  to 
do  with  his  might,  knowing  that  there  is  no  wisdom  nor  device  in 
the  grave  whither  we  haste." 

5.  The  rest  and  reward  in  heaven. 

6.  Instant  prayer  is  the  best  means  of  his  own  growth  in  grace. 
and  comfort,  and  hope  of  blessedness^  here  and  hereafter. 


No.  XXXII. 

MATTHEW,    V.    5. 
Dlcssed  are  the  meek,  for  tlicy  sli;ill  ii\herit  the  earth. 

It  has  been  often  said  all  the  promises  are  appropriated.  To 
the  poor  in  spirit  God  has  promised  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

What,  meekness  and  not  war  gain  territory  \  Meekness  is  a  quiet- 
ness, mildness  and  gentleness.  It  is  that  spirit  of  non-resistance 
enjoined  on  his  disciples  by  our  Lord,  when  he -said,  "  If  anv  man 
smite  thee  on  the  one  cheek  turn  to  him  the  other  also."  Some 
things  may  seem  like  it  but  are  not  it.  That  indecision  which 
has  no  opinion  when  those  are  present  who  will  oppose  it,  is  not 
meekness  but  cowardice. 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOrRSES.  367 

We  are  directed  to  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  deliver- 
ed to  the  Saints.  We  are  to  be  rooted  and  gronnded  in  the  truth. 
That  cowardice  which  does  not  defend  the  truth  is  not  meekness. 
It  is  yielding  the  honor  of  God  because  we  fear  man  more  than 
God,  because  their  frown  effects  more  than  the  threatenings  of 
God. 

That  tameness  which  arises  from  want  of  talent  is  not  meekness. 
This  differs  nothing  from  what  may  be  found  in  animals,  but  meek- 
ness is  a  gospel  grace.  It  implies  that  the  n;itural  temper  has  been 
subdued  by  the  power  of  God  so  that  the  Christian  spirit  operates 
in  the  midst  of  coarse  and  unhandsome  treatment.  Paul  was  not 
meek  by  nature  but  became  so  by  grace.  Still  his  natural  temper 
sometimes  broke  out — as  when  the  high  priest  commanded  him  to 
be  smitten.  Meekness  implies  a  sanctified  heart.  Hence  the  pro- 
mise is  made  to  believers  that  they  shall  inherit  the  earth.  God 
will  give  these  good  things  to  those  who  exhibit  the  temper  that 
he  justifies. 

By  the  earth  we  are  to  understand  not  merely  his  terrestial  ter- 
ritory but  all  the  good  things  of  the  life  that  now  is.  Hence  the 
the  text  implies  that  this  world  was  made  for  the  church  of  Christ 
and  belongs  in  the  divine  estimation  to  the  people  of  the  Saints  of 
the  most  high  God. 

I.  It  was  built  for  the  Church.  It  is  said  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  that  "  by  him  were  all  things  created  that  are  in  heaven  and 
earth,  visible  or  invisible,  whether  they  be  thrones  or  dominions  or 
principalities  or  powers,  all  things  are  created  by  him  and  for  him." 
And  it  is  said  of  the  people  of  God,  "  All  things  are  yours,  whether 
Paul  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas  or  the  world,  or  life  or  death,  or  things 
present  or  things  to  come  ;  all  are  yours,  and  ye  are  Christ's,  and 
Christ  js  God's."  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  freely  de- 
livered him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give 
us  all  things. 

II.  The  government  is  committed  to  a  mediator  in  behalf  of  the 
Church.  God  purposes  to  make  all  men  see  what  is  the  fellowship 
of  the  mystery,  which  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  hath  been 
hid  in  God  who  created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  intent 
that  now  unto  the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places 
might  be  known  by  the  Church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God.  It 
was  predicted  of  the  child  that  he  should  be  born,  "  That  the  gov- 
ernment should  be  upon  his  shoulders,  his  name  should  be  called 
Wonderful,  Counselor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Everlasting  Father,  the 
Prince  of  Peace."     We  read  of  a  moment  when  Christ  shall  deliv- 


dbO  SHOUT    SERMONS,    OR 

er  up  the  mediatorial  kingdom  to  the  Father;  that  is,  he  shall  no 
longer  govern  the  world  as  mediator,  having  gathered  out  of  it  his 
people  and  taken  them  all  to  heaven  with  him.  Under  his  govern- 
ment it  will  be  true  that  though  the  wicked  heap  up  silver  as  the 
dust  and  prepare  raiment  as  the  cla\%  he  may  prepare  it  but  the 
just  shall  put  it  on  and  the  innocent  shall  divide  the  silver. 

3.  The  people  of  God  alone  truly  enjoy  the  good  things  of  this 
life,  and  they  only  have  the  permission  of  God  to  use  them  :  they 
only  are  blessed  of  God  in  their  basket  and  in  their  store. 

They  ask  and  receive  the  Divine  blessing  with  their  meat  and 
drink.  They  only  receive  thankfully  the  Divine  bounties,  and  sub- 
mit willingly  when  God  afflicts  them.  To  them  only  is  the  pro- 
mise, "  all  things  shall  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love 
God."  Hence  they  only  can  be  cheerful  and  happy  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  things  of  time  and  sense.  God  requires  that  the  tal- 
ents he  puts  into  our  hands  we  occupy  until  he  come.  He  de- 
mands the  fruit  of  the  vineyard.  Every  blessing  is  handed  us  on 
the  implied  condition  that  we  are  truly  thankful,  and  use  the  bless- 
ing well.  And  none  do  this  but  the  people  of  God.  Hence  none 
have  God's  leave  to  use,  because  none  can  have  his  leave  to  abuse 
the  bounties  of  his  providence.  If  men  come  not  with  a  grateful 
heart  to  the  table  which  the  Lord,  in  his  providence,  spreads  for 
them,  I  know  not  in  what  text  they  have  leave  to  partake. 

4.  The  promise  of  the  text  will  be  specially  fulfilled  when  the 
Church  shall  be  spread  over  the  world,  and  the  knowledge  of  the 
Lord  shall  cover  the  earth  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.  That  day, 
we  know,  is  coming.  Then  the  text  will  receive  its  literal  accom- 
plishment, and  the  whole  soil  be  held  by  those  who  fear  and  know 
the  Lord.  It  is  promised  the  Savior,  that  "the  Father  will  give 
hitn  the  heathen  for  his  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth  for  a  possession.  A  promise,  perhaps,  of  no  good  t(5  them  ; 
for  it  is  added,  "Thou  shalt  break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and 
shalt  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel."  Still  a  promise 
exiictly  to  the  point  1  would  illustrate,  that  the  whole  of  this 
word's  territory  will  one  day  belong  to  the  Church  of  Christ. 

REMAKKS. 

1.  The  subject  illustrates  that  Divine  maxim,  "  He  that  will  save 
his  life  shall  lose  it."  Meekness  gives  up  its  right,  and  God  gives 
it  back.  In  the  case  reported  in  the  history  of  Solomon,  the  true 
mother  gives  up  her  part  of  the  child,  rather  than  have  it  divided. 

2.  How  anti-evangelical  is  a   spirit  of  war  and   of  contention 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES. 


369 


Not  to  this  spirit,  but  its  opposite,  God  has  promised  a  boundless 
territory. 

3.  How  alarmed  should  men  be  if  they  are  blessed  abundantly 
with  the  good  things  of  this  life,  and  are  not  the  children  of  God, 
and  are  not  using  his  bounties  to  the  Divine  honor. 

4.  Would  we  be,  in  the  truest  sense,  rich,  we  see  where  we  must 
begin  our  efforts  ;  by  subduing  our  native  ferocious  warlike  spirit, 
and  putting  on  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


No.    XXXIII. 

CORINTHIANS  XVI.  22. 

If  any  man  love  not  the  Li)rd  Je-us  f;hrUi,  let  hiai  be  anathema  maranatha. 

The  man  is  anathemized,  and  ought  to  be,  who  loveth  not  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

I.  There  are  some  who  do  not  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

1.  This  we  know  from  observation. 

They  have  their  place,  and  keep  their  standing  out  of  the  pale 
of  his  Church. 

2.  From  the  testimony  of  all  who  are  regenerate. 

They  choose  to  be  disassociated  with  the  praying  multitude  who 
plead  at  the  Savior's  feet.  The  testimony  of  all  the  sacramental 
host,  is,  that  previously  to  their  enlistment  on  the  side  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  they  were  his  enemies.  They  preferred  a 
bubble  or  a  straw,  to  that  glorious  being  who  built  all  worlds. 
Their  language   now  is: 

"  Give  what  thou  canst,  without  thee  we  are  poor, 
And  with  thee  rich  take  what  thou  wilt  away." 

Nothing  less  will  satisfy  an  immortal  soul  but  God. 

3.  From  the  testimony  of  Scripture. 

They  say  to  God,  "  Depart  from  us,  we  desire  not  the  know 
ledge  of  thy  ways." 
VOL.  II  47 


370  SHORT    SERMONS,    OR 

H.  They,  are  accursed  from  the  nature  of  the  case. 

1.  They  do  not  love  the  highest  moral  excellence,  but  love  no 
thing. 

2.  They  cannot  love  a  lower  moral  excellence,  when  they  do 
not  love  a  higher. 

3.  They  can  find  nothing  else  to  love  that  can  make  them  happy. 

4.  Christ  cannot  love  them,  nor  can  any  holy  beings  love  them 
but  must  hate  them. 

III.  They  ought  to  be  accursed. 

1.  They  curse  themselves. 

2.  They  are  cursed  by  their  own  consciences. 

3.  God  has  threatened  to  curse  them.  "  Cursed  is  every  one 
that  continueth  not  in  all  the  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law 
to  do  them.  And  it  will  be  recollected  the  law  says,  "  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,"  and  it  will  be  recol- 
lected that  all  heaven  will  add  to  this  delightful  injunction  their 
long  and  loud  Amen. 

4.  Their  character  is  such  that  they  are  fitted  for  nothing  but 
the  Divine  wrath. 


No.   XXXIV. 


PSALM    LI.    14. 


Deliver  me  from  blond-guiltiness,  O  God,  thou  God  of  my  snivatioii :  and  my  tongue  shall  sing 
aloud  of  thy  ri^litcuusiiess. 

There  is  a  very  mportant  sense  n  w  iich  men  may  be  charged 
with  blood-guiltiness,  and  not  be  guilty  of  murder  in  the  immedi- 
ate act. 

Parents  have  so  abused  their  children  that  they  may  be  charged 
with  their  death,  without  imbruing  their  hands  in  their  blood,  by 
neglecting  their  eternal  interests.  Men  are  guilty  of  the  blood  of 
their  fellow-men,  in  a  spiritual  point  of  light,  who  contribute  in 
any  way  to  their  everlasting  undoing. 


OUTLINES    OF    DISCOURSES.  371 

I.  Men  are  chargeable  with  blood-guiltiness,  who  neglect  the 
atonement  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  continue  obstinately  to 
persevere  in  sin  until  they  lose  their  own  souls.  There  remaineth 
in  their  case  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  "  but  a  fearful  looking  for 
of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation,  which  shall  devour  the  adver- 
sary." 

II.  By  teaching  principles  that  lead  others  to  trample  upon  the 
blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Thus  men  imbrue  their  hands  in 
the  blood  of  their  fellow-men,  and  what  was  said  of  one  of  old, 
will  be  true  in  their  case :  "  that  man  perished  not  alone  in  his 
iniquity." 

III.  By  setting  an  example  that  leads  others  to  disregard  religion 
and  die  in  their  sins.  If  men  follow  us,  and  our  path  leads  them 
down  to  perdition,  we  are  guilty  of  their  blood. 

IV.  By  neglecting  to  do  for  others  what  might  promote  their  sal- 
vation, we  may  become  guilty  of  their  blood.  "  We  see  the  sv/ord 
coming,  and  blow  not  the  trumpet."  Hence  their  blood  will  be 
in  our  skirts. 

V.  By  approving  of  the  character  of  men  when  they  have  not  on 
the  character  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  approve  at  his  com- 
ing, we  bring  upon  ourselves  the  blood  of  our  fellow-men.  "  We 
daub,  in  that  case,  with  untempered  mortar,  and  sew  pillows  to  all 
arm-holes." 

VI.  By  neglecting  to  pray  for  our  fellow-men  while  such  are  the 
promises,  that  would  we  pray  aright,  God  would  save  them  in  an- 
swer to  those  prayers,  we  bring  the  blood  of  our  fellow-men  upon 
us.  "  If  my  people,  which  are  called  by  my  name,  shall  humble 
themselves,  and  pray,  and  seek  my  face,  and  turn  from  their  wick- 
ed ways ;  then  will  I  hear  from  heaven,  and  will  forgive  their  sins, 
and  will  heal  their  land." 

VII.  When  we  see  prevailing  any  iniquities  that  are  destroying 
the  souls  of  men,  and  we  hold  our  peace,  and  do  not  disapprove  of 
those  iniquities,  we  incur  blood-guiltiness. 

REMARKS. 

1.  There  are  several  things  respecting  this  blood-guiltiness  I 
wish  to  name  here.  It  stains  deep.  The  vulgar  idea  that  has  been 
current  for  so  many  years,  that  the  blood  of  murder  could  not  be 
washed  out,  has  arisen  from  the  impressions  of  guilt  such  a  deed 
inflicts  upon  the  conscience  ;  otherwise  it  never  had  been  the  im- 
pression that  the  blood  of  murder  could  not  be  washed  out  as 
readily  as  other  blood.     Blood-guiltiness  will  adhere  lonp-.     We 


372  SHORT    SERMONS. 

have  heard  of  many  a  murderer  who  could  never  efface  the  guilt 
from  his  conscience,  and  died  finally  through  iniquity. 

.2.  It  corrodes  fearfully.  It  is  not  a  slight  paroxysm  that  removes 
it,  when  the  conscience  is  corroded  with  remembered  guilt.  It  is 
a  jri'ilt  that  wakes  up  the  so\il  to  a  deep  and  dreadful  horror.  It 
led  one  to  say,  "Deliver  me  from  blood-guiltiness,  0  God,  thou 
God  of  my  salvation." 

3.  Christians  that  have  had  frequently  to  do  with  the  destruc- 
tion of  souls  ever  since  they  were  regenerated,  must  experience 
frequently  renewed  pardons,  in  order  to  have  permanent  peace  of 
conscience,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

4.  How  certain,  then,  that  the  punishment  of  the  finally  impeni- 
tent will  be  endless^  in  order  to  have  any  relation  at  all  to  the  deeds 
they  have  done.  All  sinners  have  been  guilty  of  this  deed  of  blood- 
guiltiness,  and  in  order  to  bear  in  the  punishment  any  relation  to 
the  deeds  they  have  done,  it  can  have  no  limit.  Hence  said  the 
Psalmist,  "Pangs  have  taken  hold  of  me." 

5.  How  endlessly  involved  must  be  the  last  account  of  ungodly 
men!  One  has  been  the  means  of  damning  another,  and  he  an- 
other, and  he  a  third,  and  thus  the  deed  extends  to  infinity. 

6.  The  distress  that  sinners  feel,  when  they  first  discover  their 
guilt,  is  not  to  be  wondered  at. 

7.  0,  what  a  view  this  subject  gives  us  of  this  world's  guilty 
population  !  We  walk  the  streets  of  our  city  with  a  multitude  of 
murderers,  who  will  have  all  this  train  of  blood-guiltiness  upon 
them  in  the  last  day. 

8.  Why,  then,  are  we  so  surprised  that  so  few  are  saved,  and  so 
many  destroyedl  Who  ever  expected,  that  among  a  gang  of 
murderers,  the    reat  mass  would  be  pardoned  ! 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


THE  SYRIAN  CAPTIVE,  OR  TRY  THE  REMEDY. 

In  one  of  the  invasions  of  Syria  upon  Israel,  there  was  among 
the  captives  a  little  maid  whose  brief  story  has  always  deeply  af- 
fected my  heart.  Of  her  parentage  nothing  is  said,  except  that 
she  was  a  daughter  of  Abraham,  and  of  course  a  child  of  the  cove- 
nant. Her  name  is  found  I  hope  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life,  but  is 
recorded  on  no  escutcheon  hung  out  from  the  battlement  of  the 
skies :  but  her  deeds  were  worthy  to  be  v/ritten  on  an  angel's 
wing.  In  her  hand  she  bore  the  first  torch  that  lighted  up  hope 
in  the  palace  of  an  idolatrous  monarch. 

In  the  dark  hour  of  her  captivity  I  can  well  imagine  the  mid- 
night scene,  when  the  ruffian  soldiery  perhaps  broke  in  upon  the 
slumbers  of  the  dormitory,  and  disturbed  the  repose  of  the  cradle, 
and  pierced  the  spear  deep  into  the  father's  heart,  and  waked  to  a 
fit  of  frenzy  the  doting  mother,  whose  moan  filled  every  breeze, 
and  was  wafted  back  in  echoes  from  every  mountain  top.  Perhaps 
she  clasped  her  infant  to  her  breast,  and  fled  in  consternation  and 
fifl^right,  by  the  light  of  her  blazing  habitation  ;  leaving  the  residue 
of  her  family  to  make  the  best  provision  possible  for  their  escape. 
Perhaps  this  little  daughter  cried,  "  0  stay,  my  mother  !  why  so 
fast  1  I  cannot  keep  pace  with  thy  footsteps,"  when  swooning,  it 
may  be,  she  broke  at  length  from  her  mother's  hand,  and  waked 
up  to  misery  in  the  arms  of  her  captor. 

How  cruel  these  wars  which  have  every  where  marched  in  the 
van  of  the  gospel,  and  made  desolate  the  abodes  of  man,  and  feasted 
savage  ears  upon  the  wails  of  the  dying,  and  the  shrieks  of  infauL-y  ! 
She  had  perchance  that  evening  come  from  the  paschal  sacrifice, 
where  she  learnt  the  prophetic  story  of  the  Lamb,  that  was  to  be 
offered  for  the  sin  of  the  world  on  the  altar  of  God  ;  and  with 
sweeter  confidence  than  ever  in  the  protection  of  Israel's  King, 


374  THE    SYRIAN    CAPTIVE. 

had  closed  her  eyes  in  peaceful  slumbers.  But  now  how  sad  the 
change,  as  she  is  borne  on  the  way,  a  helpless  captive,  to  a  distant 
and  darkened  land.     And  as  she  cast  a  heart-rending  look  behind, 

She  wept  her  father  slain ;  her  mother  fled ; 

All  the  endearments  of  the  parental  roof 

Gone,  now  gone  for  ever.     And  most  of  all 

The  hallowed  rites  she  wept,  sweet  medium 

Of  intercourse  'twixt  heaven  and  earth — rites 

Foreshadowing  the  coming  on  of  Zion's 

Glorious  triumph. 

'  And  must  I  never  see  my  mother  more, 

Nor  thee,  thou  sweet  smiling  babe ;  nor  yet  thee 

Dearest  brother ;  nor  you,  ye  hills,  and  vales, 

And  fields,  and  floods,  scenes  of  my  joyous  childhood — 

Nor  yet  thee,  thou  consecrated  altar, 

Where  my  infant  vows  to  Abraham's  God 

Were  paid  ?     I  yi  Id  submission  to  thy  will, 

Dark  though  it  be ;  and  when  far  off  my  lot 

Prom  the  deep  centre  where  dwells  this  heart 

Of  mine,  still  to  thy  throne  0  God,  will  I 

Direct  my  prayer.'     In  lone  soliloquy 

Thus  she  prayed,  while  on  her  soul  distilled 

From  heaven  the  dews  of  mercy. 

In  the  division  of  the  spoil  this  captive  maid  fell  to  the  share  of 
Naaman,  captain  of  the  hosts  of  Syria ;  and  while  she  waited  on 
his  wife,  she  told  the  wondrous  story  of  the  prophet  that  was  in  Is- 
rael. There  dwelt  the  law  of  kindness  t/pon  her  lips,  and  in  her  every 
action  there  was  a  charm  that  bound  those  she  served  in  confi- 
dence and  love.  Her  master  held  high  rank  in  royal  favor  ;  and 
in  the  house  of  Rimmon,  an  idol  god,  had  sworn,  and  kept  his  vow 
of  fealty  to  his  king  ;  and  was  the  more  honored  because  "  God 
by  him  had  given  deliverance  to  Syria." 

How  grievous  that  the  God  of  Israel  should  be  unknown  to  him 
who  ascribes  the  victories  which  he  has  achieved,  and  which  had 
placed  his  name  high  on  the  tablet  of  fame,  to  his  special  favor. 
And  how  yet  more  grievous  that  he  should  wage  war  with  Israel's 
prosperity,  that  he  might  please  an  enemy  of  his  holy  empire. 

But  the  darkness  of  pagan  idolatry  shrouded  his  mind,  while  the 
poor  casket  that  contained  it  was  the  prey  of  a  loathsome  and 
consuming  disease.  "  He  was  a  leper."  This  ancient  scourge  of 
sin  had  broken  in  upon  his  camp,  and  had  carried  despair  to  his 
high  hopes  and  his  towering  ambition,  and  perhaps  his  profligacy. 
From  this  captive  maid  he  had  been  told  something  of  Israel's 
God;  had  received  just  enough  of  light  to  make  darkness  visible, 


THE    SYRIAN    CAPTIVE. 


3'^ 


and  had  gathered  some  indistinct  impression  that  relief  could  be 
obtained  from  the  prophet  of  Samaria.  Oh  how  could  a  heathen 
die  that  had  intimations  of  the  Lamb  to  be  slain,  while  he  had  not 
taken  sanctuary  in  his  blood  1  "  Is  there,  then,  a  prophet  in  Is- 
rael that  can  heal  the  leprosy  1  Can  he  have  compassion  on  a 
stranger,  an  enemy,  the  worshiper  of  another  than  Israel's  God  \  or  is 
there  not  a  limitation  of  his  power  to  the  descendants  of  Abraham  l" 
"  He  can,"  she  replied,  "  recover  thee.  He  would,  wert  thou  with 
him.  Oh  that  my  lord  were  now  in  Samaria  with  this  prophet  who 
has  already  had  compassion  upon  a  Sidonian  widow— a  stranger 
to  the  covenant  of  promise  ;  and  he  surely  will  not  pass  unheeded 
the  application  of  my  lord."  Her  deep  solicitude  for  the  welfare  of 
her  master  led  her,  perhaps,  very  often  to  press  the  necessity  of 
immediate  resort  to  the  remedy  provided.  Her  compassion  had 
been  awakened  by  the  view  of  his  wretchedness  :  for  "  lo,  he  was 
a  leper,"  an  exile  from  his  family,  a  burden  to  himself  ;  and 
though  high  in  office  and  in  honor,  a  loathing  to  all  who  beheld 
him.  All  fled  him,  as  he  walked  abroad,  lest  this  frightful  curse 
should  be  transferred  to  themselves.  All  excluded  him  from  their 
habitations,  lest  his  entering  them  should  bring  pollution  that 
could  not  be  cleansed.  His  nearest  relatives,  and  most  intimate 
associates  abandoned  him  to  his  own  solitary  dwelling.  They  who 
followed  him,  as  he  led  the  armies  of  Syria,  followed  him  afar  off 
to  prevent  contagion.  And  then  he  was  no  less  an  object  of 
loathing  to  himself  than  to  others.  He  abhorred  his  own  flesh. 
It  was  rottenness  upon  his  bones.  It  was  a  putrid  carcass,  upon 
which  the  vultures  longed  to  prey,  bound  by  ligatures  to  a  living 
soul.  And  what  seems  despair  complete,  it  is  a  disease  without  a 
remedy.  Death  alone— a  lingering,  solitary  death — unpitied,  un- 
wept, nay,  most  earnestly  desired  both  by  the  v'ictim  and  his  near- 
est friends — was  all  that  could  promise  the  poor  leper  a  dismal 
shadow  of  relief.  What  an  emblem  this  of  moral  pollution  !  How 
shunned  the  sinner  by  all  holy  beings  '  Excluded  from  the  abode 
of  righteousness ;  shut  out  from  hope  and  happiness,  and  heaven  ; 
odious  to  himself,  forlorn  and  miserable,  his  is  but  a  living  death, 
and  while  he  lingers  upon  the  borders  of  eternity  there  is  nothing 
before  him  but  "the  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery 
indignation.'" 

The  story  of  the  captive  maid  was  simple  because  it  was  true. 
It  touched  the  heart  of  her  master,  and  inclined  him  to  seek  an  in- 
terview with  the  prophet  of  Israel.  The  news  flew  through  all  the 
departments  of  the  royal   palace.     Wonder  was  excited  there,  and 


376  THE    SYRIAN    CAPTIVE. 

hope,  and  perhaps  a  council  of  state  was  held  to  deliberate  upon 
this  strange  intelligence.  The  king  of  Syria  despatches  a  letter 
to  Israel's  king,  and  sends  Naaman  with  a  retinue  and  gifts  of 
princely  aspect  inquest  of  the  promised  boon.  There  was  enough 
of  light  to  inspire  confidence  ;  but  confidence  in  dark  and  blind 
confusion.  The  royal  favorite  hastens  with  his  credentials  to  the 
court  of  Israel's  king,  who  on  interpreting  the  import  of  the  com- 
munication— and  well  he  might,  it  was  so  strange  a  suit — attributes 
it  to  a  wily  design  on  the  part  of  his  rival  monarch,  to  involve 
him  in  a  conflict — a  conflict  which  he  dreaded,  and  which  he  would 
gladly  shun.  He  rends  his  robes  in  consternation,  and  the  alarm 
spreads  through  all  his  court.  And  now  the  prophet's  counsel  is 
earnestly  implored,  as  men,  in  terror  for  their  sins,  or  in  dread  of 
death,  apply  to  some  till  then  unnoticed  friend  of  God,  and  ask  his 
intercesssion  at  the  throne  of  grace  on  their  behalf.  The  prophet 
quiets  their  fears  by  demanding  the  Syrian  captain  to  be  sent  to 
him  ;  and  he  would  teach  him  that  there  was  indeed  a  God  in 
Israel  mighty  to  save.  Naaman  with  his  retinue  presents  himself 
at  the  doov  of  the  prophet,  but  chagrined  at  receiving  no  personal 
notice,  and  vexed  with  the  simple  message,  "  Go  wash  seven 
times  in  Jordan  and  be  clean,"  turned  and  went  away  in  a  rage. 
Here  like  the  sinner  at  the  footstool  of  mercy,  all  leprous,  all 
defiled  ;  and  yet  elated  with  false  views  of  his  own  consequence 
in  the  sight  of  God,  and  contemning  the  simple  offer  of  salvation 
through  the  blood  of  atonement,  flies  in  anger  from  the  only  source 
of  relief.  But  his  servants  entreated  him  to  try  the  remedy  of 
the  prophet.  Perhaps  Israel's  waters  may  avail.  Haply  Abana 
and  Pharpar  have  no  such  healing  virtues.  If  he  had  s'  nt  them 
on  a  long  pilgrimage  to  some  desert  land  to  build  a  heathen  tem- 
ple and  a  heathen  altar  where  human  foot  has  never  trodden  since 
creation  rose,  or  had  he  imposed  self-inflicted  tortures  till  thou 
couldest  scarcely  have  borne  them,  thou  couldest  have  done  it  all 
to  save  thy  life.  Why  not  then  wash  in  Jordan  1  If  it  do  not 
help,  it  cannot  injure,  no  harm  will  follow.  He  yielded  to  their 
wise  advice,  and  went  and  washed,  when  lo  to  his  surprise  and  joy 
his  putrid,  loathsome  flesh,  gave  place  to  that  of  infant  tenderness 
and  purity.  In  grateful  amazement  lie  gazed  upon  himself  and 
felt  life's  current  careening  through  his  veins  as  in  playful  child- 
hood. He  had  washed  the  leper  off,  and  swift  presents  an  offering 
at  the  prophet's  feet.  Oh  take  the  price  of  life  and  health  of  thy 
poor  servant,  now.  relieved  and  happy. 

No,  thy  leprousy  cleave   for  ever  to  thy   enemies.     Take   with 


THE    SYRIAN    CAPTIVE.  377 

thee  thy  gifts.  It  will  buy  a  lamb  to  offer  on  the  altar  of  the  liv- 
ing God,  who  healed  thee  by  a  power  unseen  and  made  thy  flesh 
all  young  again.  So  Abraham's  God  can  operate.  Oh  there  is 
no  God  like  him  in  all  the  earth. 

Why,  prophet,  thou  hast  made  me  whole  ;  and  wilt  thou  not  re- 
ceive the  price  of  "a  Syrian  ready  to  perish"  who  came  in  blind- 
ness, led  by  the  direction  of  a  little  servant  maid,  or  captive 
from  the  land  of  Israel,  and  found  all,  and  more  than  all  that  he  had 
hoped.  Take  then  the  boon  I  offer,  else  tell  me  more  of  Israel's 
God,  whom  1  would  for  ever  serve. 

But  wouldest  thou  know  more  of  Israel's  God  1  'Twas  he  who 
built  the  heavens,  and  spread  abroad  the  sea,  when  all  the  sons  of 
God  shouted  for  joy.  He  throws  out  his  gifts  in  such  profusion, 
and  takes  no  bribe — receives  no  offering  but  an  humble  and  a 
broken  heart,  through  the  atoning  sacrifice. 

Oh  give  me  then  some  of  Israel's  soil  to  build  an  altar  in  Syria's 
empire,  that  I  may  worship  only  him  that  built  the  heavens,  and 
bless  the  God  of  Abraham  that  healed  the  leper,  till  I  come  where 
Abraham  is.  And  one  thing  more  I  ask,  when  I  go  into  the  house 
of  Rimmon  because  I  must,  and  then  bow,  my  master  hanging  on 
my  arm.  Oh  !  hold  thy  servant  guiltless  in  this  one  thing. 

"  lio  in  peace,"  and  as  thou  rearest  an  altar  to  the  living  God, 
inquire  there,  what  he  would  have  thee  do.  There  lay  thy  case  in 
humble  supplication  before  his  throne,  and  he  will  guide  thee 
right. 

With  gladsome  heart  Naaraan  bade  the  holy  prophet  a  kind  fare- 
well, and  hasted  on  his  way  to  spread  the  wonders  wrought  in 
Israel  amid  the  camp  and  court  of  Syria. 

So  it  seems  a  captive  maid,  was  the  first  missionary  to  a  land  of 
gross  idolatry.  She  bore  the  first  torch  of  light  to  the  camp  of 
Syria,  a  light  which  broke  in  upon  the  gloom  which  overshadowed 
in  dense  darkness  all  its  habitations,  from  the  palace  of  the  monarch 
to  the  tents  of  his  meanest  subject.  And  what  may  not  a  little  sab- 
bath school  child  perform  in  the  moral  renovation  of  the  world  1 
How  many  a  child  trained  up  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  has  been 
instrumental  in  widely  extending  the  praises  of  the  Redeemer,  by 
touching  the  chord  that  vibrated  from  heart  to  heart,  till  multitudes 
upon  multitudes  were  affected  by  it,  and  brought  to  bow  at  the 
foot  of  the  cross. 

This  little  maid  was  but  a  servant  that  waited  upon  her  mistress, 
and  yet  behold  her  sympathy  for  the  affliction  of  her  master.  Hear 
her  prayer  in  his  behalf.  Witness  the  urgencv  with  which  she  press- 

voL.  II.  48 


99B  THE    SYRIAN   CAPTIVE. 

es  the  necessity  of  his  immediate  and  personal  application  to  the 
prophet  that  was  in  Samaria.  And  so  Christian  servants  are  ever 
blessings  in  the  families  where  they  dwell,  and  their  pious  example 
may  be  the  means  of  saving  their  employers. 

What  an  example  of  rigid  adherence  to  the  principles  of  early 
education.  All  the  idolatry  of  the  Syrian  camp  and  court  did  not 
move  her  or  cause  her  to  forget  the  God  of  Israel.  The  principles 
which  she  had  imbibed  in  her  childhood  clung  to  her  in  her  captiv- 
ity, and  no  temptation  could  prevail  upon  her  to  swerve  from  the 
way  of  righteousness  in  which  she  had  been  instructed.  "  If  I  for- 
get thee,  Oh !  Jerusalem,  let  my  right  hand  forget  its  cunning,"  was 
the  motto  which  she  had  inscribed  upon  her  heart.  Let  the  chil- 
dren of  pious  parents,  when  far  away  from  parental  instruction,  re- 
member the  story  of  this  captive  maid,  and  inculcate  it  in  the  avoid- 
ance of  all  that  is  evil  and  in  the  practice  of  all  that  is  good. 

Let  parents  train  their  children  so,  that  should  they  be  called  to 
leave  them  to  the  buffetings  of  this  world,  they  may  have  a  surer, 
firmer  stay  than  a  mere  parent's  arm,  a  wiser  counsellor,  and  a  far 
dearer  friend. 

Ye  who  have  tried  the  remedy,  tell  me,  did  you  not  find  it  all, 
and  more  than  all  you  hoped  for  1  Was  it  not  a  timely  and  pre- 
cious remedy  1  For  what  price  would  you  have  failed  in  that  tre- 
'nendous  hour!  Oh,  tell,  then,  and  teach  your  child  to  tell,  in  the 
lodgment  where  he  dwells,  or  amid  the  servitude  he  serves,  of  that 
Fountain  opened,  in  the  house  of  David,  for  sin  and  all  unclean- 
ness.  Make  the  tale  familiar  to  the  infant  mind,  of  Him  that  bled 
on  Calvary,  and  healeth  every  wound  with  his  own  vital  stream. 
The  theme  is  sweet.  We  shall  talk  of  it  in  heaven,  and  sing  of  it 
in  the  eternal  choir  which  shall  be  assembled  around  the  throne 
of  God  and  the  Lamb. 

But  ah,  how  many  hold  the  plague  imbedded  deep  till  life  goes 
out,  and  will  not  reach  that  place,  nor  sing  that  song,  nor  feel  that 
joy  in  heaven.  And  when  they  knew  that  the  remedy  was  cheap 
and  easy,  and  the  price  a  grateful  heart, was  all  that  was  required, 
oh,  the  disappointment,  and  chagrin,  and  wretchedness,  that  will 
prey  upon  the  damned  multitude  in  everlasting  fire.  Recollection 
of  the  remedy  untried  will  eat  their  flesh  as  doth  a  canker. 


WORLDS   SENT  OUT  TO   ILLUSTRATE  THE   PATH  THAT  MINDS 
SHOULD  TAKE. 

In  imagination  I  am  sometimes  thrown  back  to  the  period  of 
creation  when  God  spoke  and  it  was  done — when  he  commanded 
and  it  stood  fast.  And  as  I  am  stationed  near  the  throne,  and  as  I 
hear  the  order  issued,  Let  there  be  light — let  worlds  be  formed, 
and  let  infinite  space  welcome  these  monuments  of  creating  power, 
I  cannot  wonder,  then,  angels  should  gaze  upon  the  scene  with 
untold  amazement,  and  attune  their  harps  to  lofty  song.  Each 
sun,  each  planet,  each  family  of  worlds,  as  it  sprung  into  being, 
received  an  impulse  from  the  hand  of  its  Creator,  and  sped  its  way 
into  the  orbit  for  which  it  was  destined.  And  there  it  revolves  in 
its  own  sphere,  and  revolves  upon  its  own  axis,  and  again  revolves 
in  blessed  union  with  the  whole  family  of  systems,  by  an  arrange- 
ment how  complete,  by  an  order  how  harmonious  ;  and  by  a  coun- 
terpoise of  powers,  which  at  once  retains  and  impels  it,  how  per- 
fect !  By  the  one,  it  would  fly  from  its  orbit,  and  wing  its  way 
for  ever  from  the  sphere  in  which  it  was  stationed  ;  and  by  the 
other,  it  would  come  into  speedy  collision  with  its  fellow  orb,  and 
then  with  other  orbs,  till  the  ruin  of  the  entire  universe  should  be 
complete,  and  the  chaos  perfect.  Oh,  how  amazing  the  system 
of  creation!  What  a  theme  for  song  !  How  it  displays  the  wis- 
dom of  the  power  of  the  incomprehensible  Architect !  Had  the 
original  impulse  been  greater  or  less,  had  it  been  differently  appor- 
tioned, without  that  wondrous  counterpoise  vvhich  now  balances 
the  whole,  this  fair  world  of  ours  might  have  been  whirled  beyond 
the  solar  influence  ;  might  have  been  wafted  into  blackness  and 
darkness,  and  been  doomed  to  perpetual  sterility,  and  perhaps  to 
everlastinf  winter.  But  now,  curbed  and  restrained,  and  its  path- 
way marked  out  by  the  finger  of  God,  he  reserves  it  as  the  theatre 
for  the  display  of  his  glory.  Creation  unfolds  to  us  his  wisdom 
and  power  ;  but  these  constitute  only  a  part  of  his  perfections. 
Would  we  discern  his  justice,  his  mercies,  his  grace,  his  love,  we 
are  directed  to  the  cross.  This  is  the  sun  and  centre  of  a  system 
infinitely  more  glorious  than  that  which  inspired  the  first  anthem 
of  the  angelic  choir.     We  can  sing  of  creation  as  the  cradle  of  our 


380  WORLDS    SENT    OUT,    ETC. 

being;  but  Kedemption  lifts  our  song  to  nobler  strains.  Countless 
myriads,  washed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  will  participate  for  ever 
in  those  joys  which  are  unalterable  and  full  of  glory,  and  beiiold, 
with  unceasing  and  adoring  wonder,  the  ways  and  the  perfections 
of  God,  as  unfolded  in  his  everlasting  covenant. 

I  now  come  to  the  application  of  these  remarks.  The  impulse 
which  was  given  to  the  world,  in  the  original  creation,  not  un- 
aptly represents  the  effect  of  those  instructions  which  are  received 
under  the  parental  roof,  in  the  Sabbath  school,  and  by  the  minis- 
trations of  the  sanctuary. 

Take,  for  instance,  the  Sabbath  school  teacher,  and  mark  his 
attitude.  He  stands  the  director  of  immortal  minds.  He  fits  them 
for  their  destined  course,  and  gives  the  impulse  which  propels 
them  in  their  future  orbit — not  unerringly — because  opposing 
powers,  counteracting  influences,  a  multitude  of  adverse  attiac- 
tions,  all  contend  for  the  mastery,  and  form  a  mighty  combination 
to  impede  and  divert,  and  throw  off"  those  minds  into  other  circles, 
where  they  will  flash,  and  redden,  and  glare  for  a  while,  like  wan- 
dering stars,  and  then  explode,  and  be  lost  in  the  blackness  of 
darkness  for  ever.  Oh,  what  an  attitude,  that  gives  to  a  planet  its 
impulse,  and  wafts  it  in  its  orbit,  and  balances  the  powers,  which, 
while  they  curb  and  rein  it  within  prescribed  limitations,  urge  it 
on  in  regular  and  systematic  progression.  But  the  course  of  plan- 
ets must  cease  after  a  few  cycles  of  years.  The  whole  system  of 
worlds,  when  they  shall  have  run  their  round,  and  answered  the 
purposes  of  their  destination,  must  perish.  Nothing  is  doomed  to 
live,  to  survive  the  general  wreck,  but  the  immortal  mind.  Anu 
as  the  impulse  which  that  mind  receives  afl^ects  it  throughout  all 
its  future  being,  oh,  how  mighty  the  enterprise,  how  solemn  the 
responsibility,  of  giving  it  a  direction  which  it  must  feel  for  ever. 
Better  annihilate  a  world  than  impress  upon  mind  a  false  charac- 
ter, and  send  it  whirling  in  some  irregular  or  eccentric  orbit.  Bet- 
ter that  the  brightest  planet  that  shines  should  be  hurled  from  its 
sphere,  and  sent  lawless  through  the  heavens,  and  be  sunk  in  ever- 
lasting night,  than  for  an  immortal  mind  to  receive  such  an  im- 
pulse as  would  dash  it,  with  maddening  and  unhallowed  energy, 
against  other  minds,  and  mark  its  own  pathway  to  ruin  by  the  pros- 
tration of  other  spirits,  which  are  also  destined  to  live  for  ever. 
It  is  not  the  loss  merely  of  a  single  soul;  this  were  but  a  speck 
in  the  account ;  it  may  be  a  ruined  generation.  And  this  ruin 
may  spread  in  a  wider  and  still  wider  circumference,  and  roll  on, 
from  gcneiation  to  generation,  with  an  accelerated  impulse,  till  it 


WORLDS    SENT    OUT,    ETC.  381 

IS  announced  that  time  shall  be  no  more.  But  whence  its  origin  1 
It  is  traced  to  some  unfaithful  teacher  in  a  Sabbath  school — to 
some  wrong  direction  there — the  result  of  some  unhallowed  im- 
pulse, which  this  same  teacher  had  received  from  some  mistaken 
guide,  and  stereotyped  to  live  through  all  the  generations  of  men, 
down  to  the  funeral  of  the  world.  What  then  is  the  attitude  of 
the  teacher!  How  can  he  take  his  station  at  the  goal,  and  give 
the  impulse,  without  spending  a  thought  upon  its  amazing  results  1 
Every  one  that  he  sends  forth  into  the  world  bears  some  impress 
which  he  has  imparted,  some  character  which  he  has  given,  and 
is  better  or  worse,  will  soar  higher  in  the  realms  of  light,  or  sink 
deeper  in  despair,  by  having  participated  in  his  instructions,  and 
received  from  him  an  onward  impulse.  Oh,  that  all  teachers  would 
remember  their  responsibility,  and  strive  to  send  forth  their  entire 
classes  in  spheres  of  usefulness  and  duty  here,  that  they  may  shine 
hereafter  like  the  "  brightness  of  the  firmament,  and  as  the  stars 
for  ever  and  ever."  And  oh,  when  the  teacher  shall  be  able  to 
trace  the  history  of  these  immortal  minds,  which  he  put  upon  the 
track,  and  to  know  to  what  extent  they  have  been  shipwrecked 
and  foundered,  and  sunk  and  lost,  through  the  agency  which  he 
has  communicated,  I  can  readily  conceive  how  he  might  wish  that 
he  had  been  a  devil,  rather  than  to  have  occupied  the  fearful  posi- 
tion of  a  teacher  of  a  Sabbath  school,  and  there  betrayed  his  trust. 
I  think  this  subject  susceptible  of  still  further  illustration,  from 
the  various  disposition  of  the  worlds  which  God  has  made,  the 
laws  by  which  they  are  governed,  the  order  in  which  they  move, 
and  the  wondrous  adjustments  by  which  they  are  perfectly  balan- 
ced in  all  their  relative  positions,  and  roll  on,  each  in  its  course, 
and  each  contributing  to  the  interest  and  harmony  of  the  amazing 
whole.  In  imagination  I  have  supposed,  perhaps  quite  presumptu- 
ousljr,  the  throne  of  the  Eternal  to  be  the  very  centre  of  the  uni- 
verse, around  which  all  worlds,  and  systems  of  worlds,  perpetually 
revolve.  And  as  my  mind  ranges  from  this  centre,  through  the 
fields  of  illimitable  space,  it  lights  upon  an  untold  multitude  of  ob- 
jects that  fill  it  with  ainazement.  The  number  of  these  heavenly 
orbs,  their  varied  magnitudes,  their  respective  distances  from  each 
other,  and  from  the  common  centre,  and  systems  upon  systems, 
beyond  the  computation  of  Angelic  powers;  each  with  a  centre 
of  its  own,  yet  each  chainerl  to  all  the  rest  with  unseen  but  indis- 
soluble bands,  and  all  obedient  to  the  impulse  which  first  sent 
them  careering  in  their  respective  orbits.  Oh,  what  a  theme  for 
the  most  enlarged,  and  delightful,  and  profound  contemplation  ! 


382  WORLDS    SENT    OUT,    ETC. 

I  love  to  lose  myself  in  the  immensity  of  the  works  of  God,  and 
unite  with  the  devout  Psalmist  in  singing,  "When  I  consider  the 
heavens,  the  work  of  thy  hand,  and  the  moon  and  the  stars  that 
thou  hast  ordained,  what  is  man  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him,  or 
the  son  of  man  that  thou  shouldst  visit  him  ]" 

But  there  is  a  grand  centre  in  the  moral  as  well  as  in  ihe  physi- 
cal universe.  In  the  revolutions  of  worlds,  you  will  mark  that  no 
one  stands  in  another's  way — no  one  takes  another's  path — no  one 
envies  another  its  nearness  or  its  remoteness  from  the  throne,  and 
none  is  displeased  that  others  should  have  larger  dimensions  than 
they,  or  move  in  a  more  extended  "orbit,  or  shine  with  a  more 
refulgent  splendor.  There  is  no  collision  between  these  heavenly 
orbs — no  interference — no  discord.  What  a  lesson  to  the  Church, 
and  to  the  world  !  The  grand  fountain  of  impulse  and  attraction 
to  the  moral  system,  is  God.  The  great  love  wherewith  he  loved 
the  world,  is  the  central  influence  which  impels  to  every  proper 
feeling,  and  every  noble  action.  The  love  of  God  is  the  golden 
chain  which  binds  together  all  the  heavenly  hosts ;  and  as  it  is  let 
down  to  earth  and  embraced  by  men,  it  unites  the  Church  Militant, 
and  the  Church  Triumphant,  and  the  Angflic  Choir,  in  one  blessed 
and  harmonious  fraternity.  The  manifestation  of  the  love  on  the 
part  of  God,  is  in  the  gift  of  his  Son.  He  is  the  centre  of  the 
entire  system.  His  Spirit,  as  in  the  original  creation,  first  mould- 
ed, and  then  threw  into  their  respective  spheres,  all  who  can  lay 
any  just  claim  to  the  endeared  and  ennobling  appellation  of  saints. 
They  bear  His  blessed  image.  They  shine  by  His  light.  They 
move  by  his  power,  and,  receiving  their  in^pulse  from  Him,  they 
are  borne  onward  with  the  greater  velocity  the  nearer  their  ap- 
proach to  the  throne.  A  brighter  light  also  gilds  their  path,  and 
a  more  dazzling  glory.  And  oh,  that  the  path  of  all  were  that  of 
the  just,  which  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day! 

But  some  Christians,  with  very  eccentric  orbits,  will  play  the 
comet.  Now  they  approach  the  centre  of  attraction,  with  amaz- 
inir  rapidity.  They  are  the  subjects  of  universal  wonder:  what  a 
train  marks  their  flight !  What  apprehensions  are  exerted  lest 
they  should  come  within  the  earth's  attractions,  as  they  do  within 
its  orbit,  and  burn  up  the  world  !  And  who  knows  but  some  comet 
may  be  commissioned  to  fulfil  the  decree  of  heaven,  respecting 
the  final  consummation  of  all  things  1  But  they  soon  pass  away, 
and  as  they  recede,  the  light  which  they  emit  grows  fainter,  until 
they  are  lost  to  the  vision,  and  are  lost  for  years  and  for  centuries, 
ere  they  return  to  excite  wonder  and  apprehension  afresh.     So 


WORLDS    SENT    OUT,    ETC.  383 

with  Christians,  who  dazzle  and  glitter  and  carry  with  them  a  train 
for  a  little  season,  and  then  fly  off  and  abscond,  and  are  forgotten. 
The  unequableness  of  their  movements,  affords  just  cause  for  ap- 
prehension, lest  they  should  prove  wandering  stars,  to  whom  is 
reserved  the  mist  of  darkness.  The  alternations  of  intense  heat 
and  intense  cold,  how  very  uncomfortable  !  How  the  one  com- 
pletely unnerves  the  soul,  while  the  other  locks  up  its  energies  in 
the  frosts  of  winter  ! 

Other  Christians,  like  planets,  move  in  eccentric  orbits  ;  but  in 
orbits  slightly  eccentric.  They  shine  brighter,  and  are  borne  on- 
ward with  greater  rapidity  at  one  period,  than  at  another;  yet  not 
to  such  an  extent  as  to  elicit  very  marked  attention.  There  is  a 
regularity,  and  an  order,  and  a  harmony  in  all  their  movement^, 
beautiful  for  simplicity,  and  commanding  veneration  ;  and  as  plan- 
ets have  a  centre  around  which  they  revolve,  so  has  the  Christian; 
and  Christians  are  moreover  centres  of  influence  and  attraction  to 
others.  No  one  liveth  to  himself,  and  no  one  dieth  to  himself. 
No  one  is  so  feeble,  or  so  insignificant,  or  so  isolated,  as  to  render 
his  existence  and  character  of  no  effect.  He  is  the  subject  of  in- 
fluence. He  exerts  an  influence,  just  as  the  earth  attracts  the 
moon,  and  the  moon  the  earth.  The  system  of  nature,  how  beau- 
tiful, how  harmonious !  But  not  more  so  than  the  Christian 
system,  in  which  justice  and  mercy  meet  together,  and  right- 
eousness and  peace  embrace  each  other.  And  when  Christiani- 
ty shall  be  thoroughly  established  in  the  hearts  of  all ;  when 
its  principles  shall  be  thoroughly  understood  by  all ;  and  when 
its  high  and  holy  motives  shall  influence  all,  what  a  blessed 
concert  there  will  be  of  feeling,  of  heart,  and  of  action.  There 
will  be  no  collision,  no  strife,  no  discord — Ephraim  will  not  en- 
vy Jadah,  nor  Judah  vex  Ephraim.  All  will  move  on  in  har- 
mony around  their  respective  centres  of  influence,  in  larger  or 
more  limited  spheres;  and  all  will  move  on  around  the  great  sun 
and  centre  of  the  moral  system,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  impelled 
by  one  motive  —the  love  of  God  ;  and  having  only  one  theme  for 
the  employment  of  their  harps  through  all  the  ages  of  eternity. 
And  thus  the  great  love  wherewith  he  hath  loved  us,  and  given 
himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity. 


CAN  THINE  HEART  ENDURE  AND  THINE  HANDS  BE  STRONG. 

No  one  has  ever  deliberately  calculated  on  the  horrors  of  ever- 
lasting abandonment.  0!  who  can  endure  it  1  With  what  dark 
imaaes  does  it  haunt  the  soul  1  No  ray  of  light — no  gleam  of  hope 
breaks  in  upon  the  prison  of  despair.  It  is  all  darkness — all  mis- 
ery— all  hopelessness.  The  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not 
quenched.  The  darkness  of  perdition,  alas  !  who  can  bear  it  1  It  is 
so  fearful,  so  intense,  so  gloomy,  so  ceaseless.  It  is  the  gather- 
ing storm  which  increases  in  blackness — the  total  eclipse  which 
shuts  out  all  light  for  ever:  the  deep  dungeon  which  immures  the 
soul  in  eternal  midnight.  "  The  mist  of  darkness" — "  The  black- 
ness of  darkness,"  "outer  darkness,"  are  terms  denoting  the  im- 
agery which  shadows  forth  the  world  of  perdition.  Oh  !  who  can 
dwell  for  ever  shut  out  from  light  1  How  appalling  that  dark  abyss, 
where  there  is  no  sun,  no  moon,  no  twinkling  star,  no  corning 
morn,  no  future  day, — that  "  land  of  darkness  as  of  darkness  itself," 
wliere  there  is  no  order,  no  prospect,  no  object  of  vision,  nothing 
but  the  dense  cloud  of  bottomless  gulf!  the  terror  of  such  dark- 
ness how  inexpressibly  great!  AnH  yet  it  is  but  a  faint  image  of 
what  the  soul  in  perdition  must  endure  for  ever. 

The  shame  of  being  lost,  how  insupportable !  The  slow  finger  of 
scorn  as  it  points  to  the  guilty  outcast  from  God.  Oh,  who  can 
bear  it  1  Where  will  the  sinner  hide  from  the  shame  of  his  naked- 
ness 1  Where  will  he  fly  from  himself  or  conceal  any  longer  his 
hidden  iniquities,  now  that  the  refulgent  glory  of  the  eternal  throne 
exposes  to  the  noon  day  gaze  all  the  abominations  which  he  has 
ever  committed '!  He  gatliers  up,  perhaps  his  mantle  of  self-right- 
eousness, and  folds  it  around  him,  but  alas,  it  is  all  filthiness  and 
rags.  He  is  ashamed  to  wear  it.  He  resorts,  perhaps  to  a  variety 
of  expedients  to  preserve  some  shreds  of  a  reputation,  to  which  he 
is  tenderly  alive,  but  it  only  renders  more  signal  his  exposure, 
and  doubles  his  shame.  He  is  ashamed  of  the  ruin  which  he  has 
purchased  by  his  iniquities.  He  is  ashamed  of  the  unholy  influ- 
ence which  he  has  exerted,  ashamed  of  the  obliquity  which  is 
poured  upon  him,  ashamed  of  his  companions  in  guilt,  of  his  asso- 
ciates in  crime,  ashamed  to  look  up  to  that  world  of  light  which 
he   might    have    inherited — ashamed   to   see   the    saints  in   glory 


CAN  THINE  HEART  ENDURE.  385 

there  :  ashamed  that  he  heard  not  his  Father's  voice,  that  he  fled 
not  when  he  might,  to  the  Savior's  arms,  and  thus  he  yielded  not, 
when  the  spirit  strove  to  his  renewing,  and  sanctifying  and  saving 
grace.  The  loss  of  Heaven,  how  shameful,  how  unnecessary,  crim- 
inal, vile,  irretrievable ;  and  the  greater  the  shame,  because  lost 
in  the  indulgence  of  those  passions  which  not  only  degrade  their 
possessor,  but  render  him  an  object  of  universal  loathing  and  con- 
tempt. Contempt  is  then  coupled  with  shame.  Oh,  who  can 
bear  contempt  1  We  shun  it  as  an  adder  that  bitelh.  But  the  por- 
tion of  the  wicked  will  be  "  shame  and  everlasting  contempt," 

The  desertion  of  the  world  of  death,  how  terrible  !  The  solitary 
cell,  how  gloomy  !  But  this  is  the  dungeon  of  dungeons.  Alone, 
shut  out  from  all  society  and  shut  up  to  his  own  dismal  reflections, 
and  there  for  ever,  with  none  to  whom  he  can  unburthen  his  soul ; 
with  none  into  whose  ear  he  can  pour  the  sad  tale  of  his  woe  j 
with  none  to  whom  he  can  confess  his  crimes,  and  thus  roll  ofl!"  a 
fraction  of  that  intolerable  load  of  anguish  under  which  he  is 
crushed.  What  a  lonely,  deserted  state  ;  how  unspeakably  over- 
whelming! In  that  land  of  shadows  and  of  "  darkness  as  dark- 
ness itself,"  "  friend,  lover,  and  acquaintance"  is  far  away  ;  and- 
the  sinner  strides  his  despairing  track,  an  eternal  stranger  to  all- 
the  sympathies  of  family,  all  the  endearments  of  social  intercourse, 
all  the  fond  recollections  of  home — once  sweet  home — but  now 
deserted  of  all  its  charms  ;  himself  deserted,  nay,  himself  the  es- 
sence of  eternal  desertion  ;  shunned  by' his  former  companions  ; 
abandoned  by  heaven  and  hope  ;  and  left  to  wend  his  solitary  way 
in  still  deeper  desertion,  through  the  long  track  of  endless  night. 
The  desertion  of  damnation,  how  intolerable!  It  is  the  bitterest 
ingredient  in  his  woe. 

The  passions  developed  and   perfected    in  the  lost,  how  terrible  ! 
Who  can  stand  before  e?ivij  1     Oh  how  the  sinner  will  envy    the 
saints  in  lig^ht  !     Their  sweet  songs,  their  golden  harps,  their  joys 
unutterable  and  full  of  glory,  their  robes  of  spotless  purity,  are  all> 
materials  for  the   corrosion  of  his   envy,  for  the  gnawings  of  that 
worm  that  never  dies.     Jealousy — the  most  cruel  and  unrelenting, 
of  all  the  passions,  will  there  find  full  scope.     All  the  fires  of  hell- 
cannot   burn   it  out.     The  floods   of    perdition   cannot   drown    it. 
There  will  be  malice  and  pride  and  revenge  and  vanity.     All  the  base 
passions  will  be  awake,  and  wrought  up  to  the  utmost  intensity  of 
action,     "  Hatred  and  variance  and  emulation  and  strife,"  sources 
of  discord  and  vexation  and  war  and  carnage,  are  made  to  bear  in 

VOL,  II  49 


386 


CAN    THINE    HEART    ENDURE. 


terrible  concentration  upon  the  centre  of  the  heart.     Their  smoke 
will  be  as  Sodom,  and  their  stench  as  Gomorrah. 

The  misery  of  being  lost,  how  inexpressible!  "Who  can  dwell 
with  the  devouring  fire  %  Who  can  lie  down  in  everlasting  burn- 
ings 1"  Who  can  endure  the  gnawings  of  the  deathless  worm"? 
The  sublimest  of  uninspired  poets  has  said, — 

"  Me  miserable !  which  way  shall  I  fly 
Infinite  wrath,  and  infinite  despair  ? 
Which  way  I  fly  is  hell ;   myself  am  hell ! 
And  in  the  lowest  deep,  a  lower  deep 
Still  threatens  to  devour  me ;    opens  wide 
To  what  the  hell  I  sufier  seems  a  heaven." 

It  is  misery,  without  relief,  without  hope,  without  limits ;  perpet- 
ually increasing,  and  yet  with  powers  perpetually  strengthened  to 
bear  accumulated  woe.  It  is  a  wrath  to  be  revealed,  and  ever  to  be 
without  cessation,  without  abatement.  Oh  might  hope  enter  into 
the  dark  mansion,  might  its  guilty  inmates  indulge  the  prospect  of 
annihilation,  at  any  period,  ever  so  remote  ;  might  some  ponder- 
ous rock  grind  them  to  powder,  or  might  one  drop  of  water  be  ap- 
plied to  their  parched  tongues,  what  a  luxury  !  How  would  it 
mitigate  the  horrors  of  despair,  and  render  less  intolerable  the 
abode  of  the  damned  !  But  when  they  cry,  How  long,  and  are 
answered.  Forever  ;  and  when  again  they  raise  their  cry,  How 
long  1  and  the  pit  echoeg,  Forever  ;  when  rocks  and  mountains 
melt  down  and  leave  them.  Oh  how  naked,  without  a  covert  from 
the  vengeance  which  they  have  incurred  !  And  when  their  per- 
petual blasphemies  provoke  even  the  divine  endurance,  what  have 
they  to  anticipate  as  the  reward  of  their  deeds,  but  indignation 
and  anguish,  tribulation  and  wrath  1  As  the  guilt  of  the  lost  will 
for  ever  increase,  so,  side  by  side,  their  despair.  But  what  a  faint 
•  image  can  we  have  of  misery  to  be  endured  for  ever,  to  increase 
for  ever,  and  to  be  borne  as  the  just  demerit  of  accumulated  sins 
for  ever  !  As  I  draw  near  in  imagination,  ;  nd  hear  the  blasphe- 
mies of  the  pit,  the  accent  breaks  in  upon  me.  Oh  that  God  would 
die!  But  he  is  the  living  God ;  and  to  be  in  his  hands,  will  finish 
the  soul's  despair ! 


A  BETTER  CHURCH  WILL  MAKE  A  BETTER  WORLD. 

It  was  predicted  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures, 
that  "  Prayer  also  shall  be  made  for  him."  The  world  might  then 
have  been  prepared  to  see  and  say,  that  whatever  other  means 
God  might  use,  in  reinstating  his  Son  in  the  empire  promised  him, 
extending  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  to  the  end  of  the 
earth — whatever  other  means  he  might  use,  he  will  not  dispense 
with  Prayer.  The  very  spirit  that  is  to  vindicate  his  rights  in  this 
revolted  world,  is  a  spirit  of  prayer  and  supplication.  His  people 
will  appeal  to  himself,  after  they  have  made,  and  while  they  are 
making,  their  appeal  to  men. 

And  the  Christian  has  learned  the  secret  of  prayer,  and  loves 
the  duty.  If  the  kingdom  would  rise  and  grow  without  his  prayers, 
he  would  not  be  willing.  He  can  go  at  any  hour,  with  any  cause 
that  lies  upon  his  heart,  and  plead  that  cause  in  the  court  of  hea- 
ven. The  very  nature  of  the  new  birth,  and  the  relationship  it 
has  established  between  him  and  his  exalted  Redeemer,  has  won 
his  heart  for  ever  to  that  interest  that  was  paramount  in  the  heart 
of  the  dying  Lamb  of  God.  Hence  all  his  followers  love  the  same 
interest,  and  cannot  be  willing  to  be  denied  the  privilege  of  push- 
ing it  forward  by  their  prayers.  As  was  said  of  the  converted 
Apostle,  "Behold  he  prayeth,"  and  as  he  thus  gave  evidence  of  a 
new  birth,  so  every  Christian  loves  to  pray,  "Thy  kingdom  come, 
thy  will  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven,  Amen,  even  so  come, 
Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly." 

This  is  a  part  of  the  work  in  which  he  will  not  be  willing  to  be 
denied  a  share.  It  is  the  very  work  for  which  his  new  birth  has 
prepared  him.  He  could  spend  his  life  at  the  throne,  and  would 
die  there.  And  God  loves  to  hear  him  pray,  and  may  sometimes 
withhold  the  blessing  he  was  about  to  give,  till  he  has  drawn  out 
the  soul  in  prayer,  "Oh,  my  dove,  thou  art  in  the  clefts  of  the 
rock,  in  the  secret  places  of  the  stairs ;  let  me  see  thy  counte- 
nance, let  me  hear  thy  voice ;  for  sweet  is  thy  voice,  and 
thy  countenance  is  comely."  And  when  he  prays,  "Thy  kingdom 
come,"  he  but  asks  God  to  do  what  he  has  promised,  and  purposed 
to  do.  Hence,  how  free  of  access  is  the  throne  of  mercy!  how 
sweet  the  privilege  and  urgent  the  duty  of  going  to  God,  burden- 
ing the  heart  with  the  interests  of  his  own  kingdom  and  glory. 


.5»»  A    BETTER    CHURCH 

Here  the  work  of  erectinp-  the  spiritual  temple  lies  open  to  as 
many  builders  as  will  touch  it  with  their  hands,  or  bear  it  on  their 
minds.  Every  heart  that  has  benevolent  and  holy  desires,  may 
urofe  the  work  alon<r,  the  very  work  for  which  the  world  rolls 
and  time  endures.  And  shame  on  that  believer  who  will  not  ap- 
ply his  energies,  and  would  be  willing  to  let  the  temple  rise,  if  it 
might,  without  his  help. 

There  is  one  consideration  that  it  would  seem  must  arouse  the 
most  paralyzed  to  action  at  this  moment.  God  is  shaking  the 
world  from  the  very  revolution  prayed  for,  and  promised.  Nu- 
merous signs  mark  this  as  the  commencement  of  the  age  we  have 
been  looking  for.  I  hardly  know  where  to  begin  to  enumerate 
these  signs.  The  bonds  of  despotism  are  lessening,  that  men  may 
be  at  liberty  to  put  on  the  yoke  of  Christ.  Almost  every  arm  that 
ever  wielded  a  sceptre,  or  controlled  a  conscience,  is  unnerved. 
The  oppressed  are  rising  upon  their  oppressors,  and  trampling 
their  ensigns  in  the  dust.  The  miseries  of  the  world  have  been 
uncovered  to  the  gaze  of  the  Church.  We  have  sent  out,  and 
have  taken  a  guage  of  the  disasters  to  be  alleviated.  We  know 
how  many  millions  are  without  the  gospel,  and  how  desolated 
their  territory  without  heavenly  light  ;  and  we  know  too  how 
fearful  the  wastes  of  our  cities,  and  in  all  parts  of  our  lands,  and 
how  wide  the  havoc  which  the  god  of  this  world  is  spreading 
among  its  population.  This  is  no  doubt  the  very  age  of  the  world 
when  its  people  know  their  own  present  history  ;  and  God  is  evi- 
dently preparing  instruments  for  some  mighty  change  in  the 
world's  condition.  He  has  awa!<ened  the  Church  in  some  mea- 
sure to  a  sense  of  her  responsibilities,  and  she  has  set  her  guards 
on  her  distant  ramparts.  There  is  going  on  an  organizr  tion  of 
the  Lord's  hosts  that  must  soon  enlist  all  their  energies,  and  open 
every  embrasure,  and  marshal  every  phalanx  that  can  be  mustered 
for  the  onset  upon  the  powers  of  darkness.  The  child  that  can 
carry  a  tract,  or  breathe  a  prayer,  or  bequeath  a  penny,  can  now 
move  some  spring  that  touches  the  interests  of  redemption.  Some 
skirt  of  the  wide  harvest  reaches  to  our  very  doors,  and,  if  we  can 
only  lift  a  sickle,  we  can  thrust  it  in  and  reap.  It  is  now  easy  to 
be  useful. 

And  what  is,  again,  a  sign  of  the  times  worthy  of  notice  ;  many 
ungodly  men  are  convinced  that  now  is  the  time  to  secure  heaven  or 
it  is  lost  for  ever.  They  are  ever  bending  to  listen  to  the  voice  of 
mercy,  lest,  before  they  are  safp,  its  voice  should  die  away  forever 
upon  their  ear.     They  are   urged  by  some  kind  of  motive  to  oiler 


WILL    MAKE    A    BETTER    WORLD.  3^9 

themselves  as  candidates  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  are  coming 
as  near  as  may  be,  to  the  line  of  demarkation  between  the  two 
kingdoms,  hoping,  as  it  would  seem,  that  some  extraneous  impulse 
may  force  them  over   that  line,  and  they  shall  live. 

And  there  is  another  class  of  ungodly  men,  who  are  bracing 
themselves  against  any  means  that  may  promise  their  awakenino-. 
They  fear  they  shall  have  to  become  Christians.  They  dare  not 
trust  themselves  where  any  extra  means  are  used.  Thus  do  we 
seem  to  see  evident  indications  that  this  is  the  age  of  mercy,  long 
predicted  ;  and  if  the  Christian  does  not  devote  himself  entirely 
to  the  Lord,  just  when  he  sees  the  evident  signs  of  his  coming, 
what  will  move  him  1  There  can  be  before  the  mind,  but  one  absorb- 
ing interest,  that  must  interest  all  the  energies  of  the  soul.  How- 
much  afraid,  should  we  then  be,  if  we  do  not  feel  for  this  interest, 
if  we  are  not  ready  to  bring  forward  every  energy  we  can  summon 
to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty.  The  call  is  so  loud,  the 
field  so  wide,  the  reward  so  glorious,  how  can  any  one  be  idle  1 
As  the  patriot  will  plunge  in  among  his  country's  foes  in  a  favored 
hour,  and  sell  his  life  as  dear  as  may  be,  in  doing  the  foe  some  sig- 
nal damage,  so  must  every  child  of  God  be  willing  to  carry  with 
him  into  the  field,  where  he  would  win  souls,  the  dearest  and  the 
entire  interests  of  his  heart,  his  all.  If  he  die  in  the  conflict,  or  be 
made  poor,  or  suffer  reproach,  no  matter,  if  Jesus  be  honored  and 
souls  redeemed.  He  will  have  his  reward,  and  liis  Masterthe  hon- 
or. There  must  be  a  better  Church,  or  the  kingdom  of  this  world 
can  never  be  given  to  our  Lord  according  to  the  promise,  by  the 
means  specified. 

Christ  will  employ  his  people  in  re-possessing  himself  of  the 
kingdoms  he  died  to  redeem.  'I'he  work  befits  their  relationship 
to  Christ — is  the  very  work  which  the  hope  of  heaven  has  quali- 
fied them  to  do ;  the  work  most  friendly  to  their  sanctification, 
and  for  which  the  Savior  will  love  to  reward  them — a  work  that 
God  will  not  do  without  his  people. 

The  Lord  Jesus,  then,  must  have  a  Church  that  will  obey  him  ; 
and  he  will  have,  as  the  latter  day  glory  draws  nigh,  a  Church 
prepared  to  live  for  him,  and  labor  for  him,  and  die  for  him.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  but  such  will  be  the  character  of  the  Millenial 
Church.  And  if  any  now  in  the  visible  kingdom,  cannot  wake 
their  hearts  to  this  tone  of  Christian  enterprize,  they  had  better 
die,  and  commit  their  interests  to  another  to  occupy  for  the  Lord 
till  he  come.  He  manifests  himself  resolved  to  have  a  laborious 
Church,  that  through  their  agency  he  may  push  his  conquests  till 


390  A   BETTER    CHURCH 

the  world  is  redeemed.  And  when  he  has  such  a  Church,  the 
conquest  would  be  easy.  As  the  holy  Martyn  aroused  all  Persia, 
and  led  a  nation  of  the  deceived  anil  destroyed  to  inquire  after  the 
"Man  of  God,"  so  in  every  part  of  the  Church,  will  men  arise  who 
will  restore  her  dormant  energies,  and  pour  upon  her  slumbers  a 
note  of  holy  remonstrance  that  shall  quicken  every  heart  that  ever 
beat  with  spiritual  life,  and  the  Church  shall  slumber  no  more  till 
her  Lord  has  come.  Amen,  even  so,  come  Lord  Jesus,  come 
quickly. 

And  now,  beloved  in  the  Lord,  a  poor  sinner  addresses  this  plea 
to  you,  who  hopes  and  will  try  to  pray  that  God  may  use  it  in 
rendering  you  a  better  Christian  than  you  ever  have  been.  You 
see  the  broad  ground  I  have  taken.  I  consider  you  and  all  that 
you  have,  as  the  Lord's.  I  have  supposed  you  willing,  soon  as 
you  know  your  duty,  to  do  it,  and  have  endeavored  to  make  you 
acquainted  with  it.  You  will  show  yourself  to  be  a  true  disciple 
of  your  Master,  by  giving  yourself  to  him — your  mind  and  body. 
Your  power  to  speak,  and  reason,  and  write  ;  and  in  all  the  ways 
wherein  you  can,  you  will  do  him  honor.  You  will  give  him  your 
influence,  your  money,  your  children,  and  all  your  house  —you 
will  pray  for  Zion,  and  weep  for  her,  and  toil  for  her,  and  live  and 
die  for  her.  You  will  try  to  begin  the  Millenium  in  your  own 
house,  and  first  of  all  in  your  closet  ;  and  will  never  rest  while 
there  is  an  ungodly  soul  within  the  reach  of  your  influence,  and 
then  you  will  not  rest  while  there  is  one  in  the  world.  You  will 
not  be  satisfied  with  being  what  you  have  been,  and  doing  what 
you  have  done.  You  acknowledge  that  you  have  never  been 
enough  like  Christ,  and  will  try  and  keep  trying,  till  you  die  to  be 
more  like  him.  Soon  as  you  have  read  this  address,  you  will  fall 
on  your  knees  and  pray  that  God  will  bless  it  to  your  soul,  and 
then  that  he  will  ble&s  it  to  others.  You  will  renew  your  cove- 
nant with  God,  and  give  him  all  that  you  have,  and  all  that  you 
are  ;  all  that  you  never  have  before  given  him,  and  all  that  your 
heart  may  even  now  grudge  to  give  him.  From  this  time  onward 
till  you  die,  you  will  ever  make  it  your  business  to  save  a  perish- 
ing world  1  If  such  is  now  the  purpose  of  your  heart,  why  not 
.  write  your  name  at  the  bottom  of  such  a  resolve,  and  just  consider 
it  the  covenant  you  now  make  with  God,  and  place  it  where  you 
can  see  it  every  day  !  And  whenever  you  pray  over  this  cove- 
nant, pray  for  all  those  who  have  signed  it  as  you  have  ;  that  you 
and  they  may  be  Atillcnial  Chn'stians,  and  honor  your  Master  in 
eflbrts  to  save  a  lost  and  ruined  world. 


IF  WE  HAD  A.  BETTER  CHURCH  WE   SHOULD  HAVE  A  BETTER 
WORLD. 

It  has  sometimes  been  suggested,  by  the  unbelieving  heart,  that 
ihe  Church  is  too  small  to  put  forth  the  mighty  influence,  and  ex- 
ert the  control  that  God  requires  of  it. — "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the 
earth."  But  when  we  have  summed  up  the  kingdoms,  and  nations, 
and  tongues,  and  people  to  be  settled,  and  seen  the  smallness  of 
the  Church  that  is  to  constitute  the  salt.  When  we  raise  the  num- 
ber of  the  former  to  eight,  or  nine,  or  ten  millions,  and  dwindle 
away  the  count  of  the  other,  till  it  drops  to  a  few  hundred  thou- 
sands, and  seems  almost  to  terminate  in  nothing,  it  would  seem  as 
if  God  had  lain  upon  this  little  Church  a  work  such  as  the  task- 
masters of  Egypt  laid  upon  the  little  handful  of  Israelites,  when 
bid  to  make  the  bricks  that  built  their  mighty  pyramids  without 
straw.  Must,  then,  this  little  Church  send  out  the  Bible  that  must 
civilize,  and  the  ministry,  and  the  ordinances,  and  the  institutions, 
thai  must  render  obedient,  and  believing,  and  dutiful,  this  mass  of 
total  and  unqualified  moral  death  1  Here  unbelief  cannot  refrain 
its  dissent.  Why  did  God  give  that  little  band  a  fatigue  duly,  so 
beyond  its  powers  and  its  prowess  \  The  answer  of  faith  is,  There 
is  Church  enough. 

Her  power  is  not  to  be  computed  by  her  numbers.  All  her  con- 
flicts are  secured  by  that  promise,  "  One  shall  chase  a  thousand, 
and  two  put  ten  thousand  to  ilight."  Hence  her  song  may  be,  in 
the  midst  of  the  battle,  "  The  Lord  of  hosts  is  with  us,  the  mighty 
God  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge." 

It  has  always  been  easy  for  the  Lord  to  save  by  many  or  by  few, 
and  it  is  only  unbelief  that  has  ever  been  afraid.  When  Gideon's 
thirty  thousand  were  marshalled  on  the  field  of  confl'ct,  and  the 
captain  of  the  Lord's  host  reviewed  them,  his  answer  was,  "  They 
are  too  many."  When  he  had  reduced  them  down  to  three  hun- 
dred, and  they  must  meet  the  hosts  of  Midian,  then  he  permitted 
them  to  escape  their  assault,  and  the  victory  was  easy.  If  Gideon 
had  ffone  up  to  battle  with  his  thirty  thousand,  it  might  have  been 
doubted  whether  the  Lord  of  hosts  was  with  them,  and  the  victory 
might  have  been  ascribed  to  some  god  of  the  hills,  or  to  some  su- 
perior skill  in  tactics,  that  Israel  must  have  learned  in  Egypt,  or 
in  the  wilderness. 


392  IF  WE  HAD  A  BETTER  CHURCH,  ETC. 

"  Ye  are  the  I'glit  of  the  world  ;"  but  must  the  whole  mass  of 
Egyptian  darkness,  that  broods  upon  the  fields  of  the  apostacy  be 
illuminated  by  the  little  rush-light  that  was  lit  up  two  thousand 
years  ago  on  Moriah,  and  has  not  shot  out  its  light  even  yet  over 
more  than  two  or  three  of  the  nations  1  And  this  little  Church,  it 
seems,  must  reflect  this  little  rush-light  over  all  the  nations,  or 
the  darkness  that  broods  upon  them  becomes  the  blackness  of 
darkness  for  ever.  So  inquires  unbelief ;  but  faith  answers,  T/iere 
is  light  enough.  Heaven  will  spread  its  broad  reflector  over  this 
rush-light,  and  it  will  shine  unto  all  the  nations,  and  will  travel  en 
from  the  rising  morning  to  the  west,  and  be  reflected  from  the 
river  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  When  Luther  rose  in  Germanjr. 
who  could  have  believed  that  his  little  fly-light  would  scorch  out 
the  Pope,  and  burn  on  till  it  should  dazzle  into  blindness  the  whole 
gang  of  Cardinals  that  propped  his  ghostly  empire.  And  this 
Church,  through  the  multiplying  moral  reflectors  that  God  has  pro- 
vided, the  power  of  letters,  the  invention  of  printing,  and  the  in- 
fluence of  the  press,  will  throw  this  light  in  broad  and  lucid  sheets 
over  all  the  nations,  till  their  salvation  shall  go  forth  like  a  lamp 
that  burneth.  Soon  as  the  Church  shall  be  properly  organized, 
and  shall  know  her  strength,  and  shall  have  counted  up  her  re- 
sources, she  will  find  that  her  strength  and  resources  are  sufficient 
for  the  enterprise,  and  the  worst  work  will  be  done. 

And  then  we  must  never  forget  that  the  Church  needs  but  few 
leaders,  and  that  few  are  employed  to  draw  out  all  her  strength. 
If  there  be  fewer,  still  she  would  have  no  less  strength.  If  they 
were  more  numerous,  some,  who  are  now  conspicuous,  would  be 
thrown  into  the  background  ;  and  some  that  are  last  would  be  first; 
but  the  Church  would  be  no  stronger. — There  is  just  Church 
enough.  And,  besides,  the  Church  can  display  more  strength 
as  soon  as  her  interest,  shall  require  that  display.  She  can  fili  up 
the  ranks  of  her  ministry  as  soon  as  her  Leader  shall  give  the 
command.  There  are  men  enough  educated  already,  and  can  be 
called  in  from  other  fields  as  soon  as  the  Lord  shall  have  need  of 
them;  and  we  can  educate  many  thousands  more  at  the  Lord's 
bidding,  in  a  very  few  years,  and  pour  upon  the  Church,  and  upon 
the  world,  a  host  of  laborers  to  reap  the  whitening  harvest.  All 
this  can  be  done  in  time  to  have  the  millennium  open  during  the 
present  century ;  so  that  the  seven  thousandth  year  oi  the  world 
shall  be  its  Sabbath,  and  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  then  become 
the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

And,  moreover,  the  Church  can  so  increase  her  energies  as  to 


«  FIFTEEiN    MINUTES    BEFORE    THE    TIME.  393 

quadruple  her  strength  in  a  few  weeks.  Let  God  pour  out  his 
Spirit  upon  her  sons  and  lier  daughters,  and  produce  a  revival  in 
every  field  of  her  labor  !  and  we  see  in  a  moment  how  her  armor  shall 
brighten,  and  her  resources  multiply  beyond  all  human  computa- 
tion. And  all  this  can  be  as  soon  as  the  Church  is  ready  to  use 
her  strength.  When  the  walls  of  Jericho  must  fall,  there  will  not 
be  wanting  army  enough  to  begirt  her  accursed  territory.  Our 
fears  about  the  number  of  the  sacramental  host  are  all  ill-timed. 
There  will  be  more  when  more  are  wanted.  When  the  Church 
shall  wish  to  spread  out  the  wings  of  her  host,  till  they  shall  be- 
girt the  world,  a  little  one  shall  become  a  thousand,  and  a  strong 
one  a  great  nation.  When  Elisha  was  pent  up  in  Jothan,  and  the 
hosts  of  Syria  spread  over  all  the  hills,  and  covered,  with  their  horses 
and  their  chariots,  the  whole  territory  of  idolatry,  and  unbelief, 
cried  out,  "Alas,  my  master!  how  shall  we  do  1  "  Faith  could 
easily  climb  the  hills  and  see  them  all  glaring,  with  the  horses 
and  chariots  of  fire.  And  the  prophet  was  as  safe  as  if  heaven's 
Chieftain  had  sent  his  whole  life-guard  to  protect  the  man  of  God. 
Well  might  he  sing,  as  he  let  the  blinded  Syrian  into  Samaria, — 
The  chariots  of  God  are  twenty  thousand,  even  thousands  of  an- 
gels.   And  well  add,  by  way  of  chorus — The  Lord  is  among  them. 


"FIFTEEN  MINUTES  BEFORE   THE  TIME." 

If  there  is  any  one  principle  to  which  the  formation  of  my  char- 
acter has  been  chiefly  indebted,  it  is  this  motto  of  a  distinguised 
naval  commander.  Nobody  ever  waited  for  Lord  Nelson.  He 
made  it  an  invariable  rule  to  be  present  at  any  appointment,  and  to 
be  ready  for  every  enterprise,  at  least  fifteen  minutes  before  the  time, 
and  to  wait  rather  impatiently  the  arrival  of  the  moment  allotted 
for  action.  When  the  hour  had  fully  come,  and  the  delay  of  others 
rendered  it  inexpedient  to  proceed,  he  looked  upon  his  own  obliga- 
tion as  cancelled,  withdrew  immediately  from  the  place  of  rendez- 
vous, and  no  inducement  could  ever  prevail  upon  him  to  return. 

The  lesson  inculcated  by  this  motto,  is  to  be  in  time  for  every 
duty.  It  should  be  the  standard  principle  of  every  man,  who  has 
any  regard  to  those  with  whom  he  acts,  to  be  truly  punctual  to  all  his 

VOL.  II.  50 


394  FIFTEEN    MINUTES    BEFORE    THE    TIME.  ♦ 

engagements.  To  himself  it  is  a  rule  of  incalculable  importance, 
and  applies  to  everj'^  occupation  and  every  pursuit.  The  ancients 
represented  time  under  the  similitude  of  an  old  man,  with  a  single 
lock  upon  his  forehead,  gravely,  but  steadily  approaching  an  assem- 
bled multitude — and  whoever  seized  this  lock,  and  held  him  by  it, 
was  born  onward  with  the  most  assured  pledge  that  could  be  given, 
of  future  success.  But  if  any  suffered  him  to  pass  them,  he  spread 
the  wings,  which  till  then,  were  concealed  behind  him  and  flew 
away  with  a  rapidity,  which  rendered  persuit  utterly  vain.  Hence 
the  homely  adage,  "  Take  time  by  the  forelock."  Better  be  fifteen 
minutes  too  early  than  one  too  late.  Too  late  !  Alas  what  a  crowd 
of  sensations  cluster  round  that  ill-omened  phrase  !  The  disappoint- 
ments how  numerous!  The  disasters  how  sad  !  The  consequences, 
Oh  !  who  can  trace  them,  as  they  reach  through  all  future  time,  and 
embosom  themselves  in  the  abyss  of  eternity. 

The  importance  to  one's  self  of  being  before  the  time,  may  per- 
haps be  more  closely  illustrated  by  an  example.  I  have  in  my  eye 
a  young  man  who  was  my  classmate  in  College.  There  was  no- 
thing in  the  structure  of  his  mind  or  in  its  development  peculiarly 
striking.  It  seemed  to  me  a  mind  cast  in  the  ordinary  mould,  with 
no  stamp  upon  it  of  either  genius  or  brilliancj^  But  I  marked  the  reg- 
ularity v/ith  which  he  attended  upon  all  the  duties  of  the  Institution. 
He  ;]|Vas  ever  before  the  time  in  the  chapel,  the  recitation  room,  the 
Society's  hall,  or  whatever  else  there  was  a  just  claim  upon  his 
merit  and  attention.  Nor  did  he  ever  offer  as  an  excuse,  that 
he  was  unprepared  for  any  exercise  to  which  he  was  properly  call- 
ed. He  took  time  by  the  forelock,  and  had  his  lessons  all  thorough- 
ly'digested  long  before  the  hour  of  recitation  arrived.  His  essays 
were  all  written,  a  week  in  advance  of  the  time  when  he  was  expect- 
ed to  read,  and  as  leisure  offered,  he  would  frequently  after  re-model 
and  re-write  them.  He  left  nothing  to  be  done  at  the  eleventh 
hour ;  but  carried  out  the  principle  of  punctuality  into  every  thing 
that  concerned  him. 

The  result  was,  he  left  many  of  his  class  lagging  behind,  while  he 
pressed  onward  with  increasing  energy,  and  making  every  day  a 
sensible  increase  to  his  stock  of  knowledge.  He  was  at  last  gradu- 
ated with  a  distinction  which  he  had  not  hoped  to  attain.  And 
without  entering  into  the  minute  particulars  of  his  after  life,  suf- 
fice it  to  say  that  he  became  a  minister  of  the  everlasting  Gospel, 
where  he  carried  out  this  same  principle  in  his  preparations  for  the 
sanctuary — 'in  his  family,  in  his  parochial  visitations,  and  in  the 
meetings  of  Ecclesiastical  counsels. 


,  FITEEN    MINUTES    BEFORE    THE    TIME  395 

Whoever  else  was  behind  the  time,  with  him  there  was  one  un- 
deviating  rule.  He  was  never  tardy — never  unprepared.  And  by 
this  means  he  acquired  that  vigor  of  thought,  and  energy  of  style, 
and  pathos  of  utterance,  so  essentially  requisite  to  distinguished 
usefulness,  as  a  herald  of  the  cross.  There  was  nothing  tame,  or 
imbecile,  or  common-place  in  any  of  his  efforts.  To  himself  then, 
his  habit  of  punctuality  was  amazingly  useful ;  and  not  less  so  to 
others,  than  to  himself.  This  example  has  had  a  powerful  influ- 
ence in  producing  a  similar  habit  among  all  who  were  within  its 
range.  Nor  has  he  failed  to  impress  the  duty  by  those  arguments, 
which  every  ingenuous  mind  will  admit  to  be  unanswerable.  What 
right  have  I  to  cause  a  number  of  men,  whom  I  have  engaged  to 
meet  at  a  particular  hour,  not  only  to  waste  their  time,  but  become 
impatient  and  fretful  by  my  delay  \  I  rob  them  of  that  which  I 
never  can  restore — the  precious  hours  thus  worse  than  wasted.  I 
set  them  a  pernicious  example — I  betray  an  important  trust  — I  tan- 
talize with  the  sensibility  of  those  whom  I  am  bound  to  respect 
and  cut  off'  a  portion  of  their  usefulness.  In  an  individual  case, 
which  I  have  occasioned,  may  be  small,  but  in  the  aggregate  the 
amount  exceeds  belie  . 

Let  me  select  another  instance  of  a  different  character,  to  illus- 
trate the  principle.  Our  funeral  solemnities,  it  is  too  well  known, 
are  seasons  of  great  and  tantalizing  delay.  When  the  appointed 
hour  arrives,  the  undertaker  is  not  there,  or  the  hearse  is  not  there, 
or  the  minister  is  not  there — or  some  of  the  pall-bearers,  or  mourn- 
ers, or  attendants,  or  friends  are  absent — there  is  nothing  in  readi- 
ness for  the  solemnity.  And  not  unfrequently,  a  single  individual 
keeps  hundreds  in  waiting,  not  merely  minutes,  but  hours  after  the 
allotted  period  for  commencing  the  solemnities.  And  who  does 
not  know  that  such  delays  are  calculated,  more  than  any  thing 
else,  to  unfit  the  mind  for  receiving  any  favorable  impression  from 
the  spectacle  of  mortality,  whose  obsequies  are  celebrated  \  How 
many  have  wished  themselves  away  before  the  services  began  ; 
and  how  many  have  fled  from  the  scene,  as  soon  as  they  could  de- 
cently do  it,  in  anger  that  they  were  thus  duped  of  the  time  that 
should  have  been  devoted  to  other  duties  ?  It  is  on  this  account 
that  the  generality  of  funerals  utterly  fail  of  producing  any  good 
effects,  het  ptmctuality  be  observed  by  those  who  have  the  man- 
agement of  these  solemnities,  and  they  will  oftener  prove,  what  they 
are  intended  to  be,  salutary  lessons  to  the  living. 

In  conclusion,  I  fvill  only  remark,  that  the  period  is  rapidly  ap- 
proaching, when  the  feast  to  which  we  are  all  invited,  will  be  ready  ; 


896 


GOSPEL    rOLITE^!ESS    THE    ALLY    OF    HEAVEN. 


and  shoulfl  our  preparation  be  delayed  till  the  door  is  shut,  our  exclu- 
sion will  be  Hnal  and  for  ever.  My  soul  shudders  at  the  thought  of 
being  an  outcast  from  God — of  dragging  out  an  eternal  and  misera- 
ble existence  an  exile  from  my  Father's  house  !  ^  And  I  would  cm- 
ploy  the  brief  residue  of  my  days  in  diligent,  and  active,  and  pcvie- 
veriiig  efforts  to  escape  from  so  fearful  a  result.  For  none  cuu  be 
too  soon  or  too  well  prepared,  as  the  night  is  far  spent,  and  the  day  is 
at  hand.  I  would  auake,  and  array  myself  in  the  righteousness  of 
Clirist,  and  be  ready  to  meet  him  at  his  coming  ;  for  he  will  not 
tarry  beyond  the  allotted  hour.  And  then  it  will  be  said,  and 
finally  said,  ."  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still ;  and  he  that 
is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still ;  and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him 
be  righteous  still. 


GOSPEL  POLITENESS  THE  ALLY  OF  HEAVEN.* 

Do  not  the  forms  of  politeness  interfere  with  Christian  fidelity"? 
I  ask  this  question  in  consequence  of  a  case  known  of  a  minister, 
who  at  the  first  interview,  sat  down  by  the  conscience  of  a  sinner, 
and  pressed  it  pungently  with  divine  truth  :  1  know  not  what  was  the 
result,  except  that  it  was  well  received.  I'his  interview  was  made 
the  subject  of  conversation,  when  one  remarked,  that  he  had  known 
a  similar  case,  when  the  individual's  serious  irnpiessions  were  en- 
tirely effaced  by  the  abruptness  of  manner  in  which  the  subject 
of  religion  was  introduced  ;  and  that  it  was  quite  certain,  in  his 
mind,  that  much  more  injury  than  good  was  the  result  of  such  at- 
tacks.— But,  after  all,  I  thought  it  very  questionable  whether  the 
injury  supposed  was  a  reality.  The  apparently  unpropitious  inter- 
view may  yet  prove  to  be  propitious  ;  and  the  individual  may,  at 
some  future  time,  be  brought  into  the  kingdom  of  God  by  that 
very  effort.  When  the  harpoon  of  the  whaleman  has  taken  full  ef- 
fect, the  mighty  monster  of  the  sea  flies  and  flounders  and  plunges 
and  struggles,  with  an  energy  that  nothing  but  a  death  wound 
could  have  inspired.  So  the  very  stab  of  truth  that  transfixes  the 
conscience,  and  brings  the  sinner  to  lie  tamely  as  a  lamb  at  the 
foot  of  the  cross,  is  often  preceded  by  convulsions  and  throes  that 

•Contributed  anonymously  to  a  religious  paper. 


GOSPEL    POLITENESS    THE    ALLY    OF    HEAVEN.  39*7 

resemble  death  itself.  I  have  seen  a  man  quit  the  sanctuary  in  a 
rage,  and  refuse  to  bow  at  the  domestic  altar,  and  avow  infidelity, 
and  become  a  bold  blasphemer,  while  the  truth  was  fixing  his 
barbed  arrows  in  his  soul.  The  result  of  the  whole  is,  the  Spirit 
of  God  is  now  constraining  him  to  meet  his  naked  heart*  alone. 
"  Sliarp  arrows  of  the  Mighty,  with  coals  of  juniper,"  were  drink- 
ing up  his  spirit ;  and  lie  made  himself  desperately  angry,  to  keep 
himself  from  being  terribly  afraid.  But,  in  cases  of  tliis  kind, 
what  is  the  frequent,  and  very  desirable  effecti  I  remember  one 
who  threatened  his  wife  that  if  she  went  to  make  a  profession  of 
religion,  lie  would  have  the  oven  heated  agiiinst  her  return,  and 
throw  her  in.  She  went : — he  gathered  the  fuel  ;  he  kindled  the 
fire;  and  while  the  oven  was  heating,  he  became  terribly  alarmed, 
and  when  she  came  back  she  found  him  on  his  knees  in  an 
agony  of  despair,  imploring  mercy  ;  and  she  knelt  with  him  and 
joined  in  the  prajer.  It  was  his  determined  lesolve  to  carry 
his  rash  threat  into  fearful  execution  ;  but  he  was  overpowered 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  his  paroxysm  of  rage  was  exchanged  for 
tears  of  contrition.  All  this  was  but  a  struggle  of  his  conscience 
against  the  truth  of  God,  applied  by  the  agency  of  the  Spirit. 
Often,  the  very  thing  we  ought  to  do  must  offend,  if  it  does  not 
result  in  salvation  ;  and  if  it  do  thus  result,  it  is  a  result  that  arises 
often  from  the  very  ofTence.  Our  motto  should  be  that  of  the 
orator  who  was  pleading  an  unpopular  measure,  and  when  one 
came  to  cut  him  down,  he  calmly  said,  "  Strike,  but  hear  me  !" 

Oh,  what  a  pity,  and  what  a  grief,  that  Christian  parents  do  not 
keep  their  families  so  Aimiliar  with  this  subject,  both  before  and 
after  conversion,  that  we  may  approach  them  without  ceremony, 
and  as  readily  inquire  into  the  health  of  their  souls  as  their 
bodies!  How  much  time  would  thus  be  saved  ;  and,  what  is  for 
more,  how  many  a  word  might  be  spoken  that  would  reach  the 
conscience  and  sanctify  the  heart,  which  is  not  said,  because  the 
laws  of  politeness  forbid  it.  "  Oh,  tell  it  not  in  Gath  ;  publish  it 
not  in  the  streets  of  Askeion  ;  lest  the  Philistines  rejoice;  lest  the 
daughters  of  the  uncircumcised  triumph  !"  Shall  we  care  so  much 
about  the  rules  of  politeneis  as  to  lose  the  chnnce  of  saving  the 
soull  If  your  house  were  in  flames  at  a  midnight  hour,  must  we 
go  through  all  the  forms  of  genteel  vexation— ring  the  bell  and 
wait  the  tedious  process  of  an  announcement — before  we  commu- 
nicate to  you  the  alarming  intelligence  1  If  your  child  was  drown- 
ing, might  we  not  make  an  abrupt  efTort  to  save  it  from  a  watery 
grave  or  even  bid  the  dog  do  it  1     Or   if  your  child  was  seized 


398  GOSPEL    POLITENESS    THE    ALLY    OF    HEAVEN. 

with  some  fatal  disease  that  required  the  immediate  application  of 
a  known  remedy,  might  we  not  administer  it  without  going  through 
all  the  forms  of  painful  ceremony  1  One  father,  at  least,  wishes 
to  be  understood,  that  he  throws  his  family  open  to  the  approach 
of  the  ministers  of  religion,  and  fears  no  ill  consequences  from  the 
abruptness  of  manner  in  which  they  may  approach  them  with  the 
message  of  salvation.  Oh,  seize  them  !  bring  the  truth  into  close 
and  burning  contact  with  their  consciences  ;  and  give  them  no  rest 
day  nor  night,  till  they  rest  on  the  sufficiency  of  the  atonement, 
and  are  joyful  in  the  presence  of  the  King  !  He  wishes  to  meet 
them  all  in  heaven,  and  that  none  of  them  may  be  missing  when 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  maketh  up  his  jewels.  But  he  is  afraid  that 
in  this  desire  he  will  fail  if  the  forms  of  politeness  are  suffered  to 
interfere  with  ministers  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty.  He  re- 
members with  pleasure  one  city  which  was  visited  with  a  power- 
ful effusion  of  the  Spirit  ;  and  then  it  was,  that  the  word  of  divine 
truth  was  not  embarrassed  by  any  such  restraints.  You  could  go 
any  where,  and  speak  to  any  one  without  ceremony  on  the  con- 
cerns of  the  soul,  and  he  would  listen  to  you  with  deep  and  thrill- 
ing interest.  And  the  result  was,  that  the  work  of  God  pervaded 
every  street,  and  its  influence  was  seen  in  many  families  in  that 
beloved  city.  And  he  longs  for  the  return  of  another  season  so 
joyous,  so  full  of  interest,  and  of  such  unspeakable  blessings  to 
multitudes  of  immortal  souls.  But  he  can  not  look  for  it  when 
and  where  and  while  these  impediments  stand  in  the  way  of  reach- 
ing the  conscience,  which  should  be  made  of  easy  access  to  those 
who  would  ply  it  with  truth  and  fit  it  for  heaven. 


DUPLICITY. 

"  0  what  a  goodly  outside  falsehood  hath." 

To  seem  to  be  what  one  is  not,  is  base. 

Duplicity  I  can't  and  wont  forgive. 

When  man  is  not  sincere  with  fellow  man, 

And  would  betray  him  with  love's  sacred  tokens, 

The  smile,  the  warm  right  hand,  th'  embrace  and  kiss, 

0  then  I  hate  my  species,  hate  the  name 
Of  man,  and  hate  myself  if  this  I've  done. 

1  can  most  willingly  endure  rebuke, 

The  coarsest.     To  my  face  a  man  may  play 

The  very  boor,  and  still  I  can  forgive  ; 

May  call  me  every  name   that  is  uncouth, 

And  make  me,  if  he  please,  the  veriest  fiend. 

If  still  ingenuous,  if  bold  and  manly  ; 

Will  let  me  see,  and  hear  him,  all  the  while  ; 

I  then  know!^  xoho  he  is,  and  what  ;  can  tell 

Him  all  my  heart,  and  perchance  make  him  feel. 

That  he's  the  very  wretch,  and  thinks  the  thoughts, 

And  does  the  deed,  he  fathers  upon  me. 

Or  one  may  arm  himself  with  spear  and  dirk. 

May  in  the  onset  act  the  bloody  Turk, 

If  he  but  show  his  arms.     I  there  can  meet 

Note. — These  few  poetical  productions  of  Mr.  Clark  are  here  inserted  merely 
as  specimens  of  his  style,  and  to  exhibit  his  versatility  of  talent.  Most  of  them 
have  appeared  in  the  periodicals,  for  which  they  were  originally  prepared.  He 
seems  not  to  have  written  poetry  except  when  deeply  impressed  with  some  mat- 
ter of  peculiar  interest.  Towards  the  close  of  his  life,  when  he  was  unable  to 
write,  he  freiuently  dictated  to  his  daughter  passages  of  uncommon  strength  and 
beauiy.  Those  productions  were  seldom  finished.  His  mind  would  act  with 
great  vigor  for  a  little  time,  and  then  he  would  lose  sight  of  his  subject,  and 
break  off',  exhi  liting  in  the  most  affecting  manner  his  consciousuess  of  his  own 
imbecility. 

The  following  stanza,  the  last  he  ever  composed,  shows  the  state  of  his  mind, 
at  that  period  of  his  life. 

"  I  long  to  trace  my  footsteps  back 
And  learn  the  traits  of  mind  I  lack, 
And  gird  my  mind  for  future  flight 
In  darkness,  or  in  shades  of  night." 


400  DUPLICITY. 

Him,  can  present  my  shield  before  his  thrust, 

And  parry  off  the  stroke  that  would  destroy  me. 

The  very  pirate  dark  in  bloody  deeds, 

The  curse  of  all  lands,  may  approach  my  back, 

And  play  his  game,  if  he  but  hoist  his  flag. 

And  warn  me  I'm  to  meet  with  pirate's  play. 

Yes,  1  can  fearless   lay  my  shield  aside. 

And  meet,  with  bosom  bare,  the  prowess,  frank, 

That  dares  to  show  its  steel,  and  give  me  time 

To  unsheath  mine  :  I  am  then  no  coward. 

But  the  base  wretch  that  smiles  but  to  betray, 

Who  asks  me  of  my  health,  would  know  my  cares, 

Draws  out  my  tale  of  woe,  and  proffers  sympathy  ; 

Deals  off  kind  language  in  a  tearful  dress  ; 

And  all  the  while  he  hates  me  cordially. 

And  means  but  lo  betray  and  injure  me  ; 

Turns  all  my  doling  into  basest  crime. 

And  leaves  me  but  to  circumvent  and  ruin  me  ! 

That  man  I've  not  the  meekness  to  forgive. 

Would  he  not  do  less  harm  if  all  would  shun  him, 

Just  as  we  do  the  viper  and  the  asp  1 

I  want  base  names  to  call  him  ;  he's  a  wretch, 

A  miscreant,  a  thief,  a  dark  assassin, 

A  dog,  a  wolf,  and  bites  before  he  barks. 

He  ought  to  have  a  lair  with  beasts  of  prey. 

And  growl  like  them.     Yes,  in  my  soul  I  think 

That  claws,  and  tusks,  and  hoofs,  and  horns,  far  more 

Than  speech,  and  tears,  and  smiles,  would  well  become  him. 

O  who  can  see  the  gifts  of  God  perverted  1 

What  were  tongues  made  for  l     Merely  to  beguile  ! 

Why  the  face  formed  for  smiles  ?     To  deal  deceit  ! 

Were  tears,  as  in  the  sea-maid,  and  the  panther, 

Bestowed  but  to  be  used  as  a  decoy  1 

W^ere  faces  made  to  wear  a  thousand  forms, 

And  each  a  lying  index  of  the  heart  1 

Must  a  creating  God  be  thus  insulted  1 

Why  all  the  kind  civilities  of  life  1 

That  man  more  easily  may  seize  his  prey  ! — 

To  be  the  engine  of  malicious  purpose  !  — 

That  man  may  not  be  safe  unless  alone  !  — 

To  make  our  race  more  wretched  than  the  fall  has! — 

To  make  the  world  a  desert  !     This  the  purpose  1 


DUPLICITY.  401 

O,  orive  me  then  a  lodge  in  some  deep  glen, 

Amid  the  polar  or  the  Alpine  snows, 

Where  shines  not  sim,  nor  moon,  nor  stars,  nor  torch  j 

Where  reigns  eternal  frost,  and  cold,  and  night ; 

Where  p  owls  the  bear,  where  screams  the  owl, 

And  panther  ;  lives  every  fowl  of  prey  ; 

Where  frowns  the  pendant  rock,  and  glaciers  wild, 

Where  hang,  suspended  by  a  breath,  the  avalanche  ; 

I  would  far  sooner  court  the  eagle's  grasp, 

Associate  with  vultures,  or  the  white  bear. 

Could  cov'nant  with  the  tempest  and  the  whirlwind, 

Could  be  where  dwells  one  long  eternal  silence, 

Or  wrestle  with  the  blast  all  day,  all  night, 

Than  live  with  men,  if  men  must  be  such  fiends. 

In  my  young  boyhoood  once  I  read  this  line, 
"  An  honest  man's  the  noblest  work  of  God," 
I  thought  the  poet  vexed,  and  blamed  his  spleen  ; 
(As  you  perhaps  may  smile  or  scowl  at  mine  j) 
I  called  the  doctrine  infidel,  and  said, 
The  Christian  is  the  noblest  work  of  God. 
Ah,  yes,  but  how  can  he  be  better  known, 
Than  by  his  honesty  ?     Would  God  no  man 
Could  take  the  Christian  name  without  the  nature ; 
But  truth  is,  many  wear  a  fair  outside, 
While  all  witliin  is  stench  and  dead  men's  bones; 
To  speak  out  all,  I  mean  but  few  are  frank. 
They  will  not  say  to  friends  and  foes  the  truth, 
The  whole  of  truth,  and  notliing  but  the  truth. 
How  few  before  your  face  will  tell  your  faults, 
Yet  honesty  says  loudly  here  or  no  where. 
Why  hate  uiy  faults  and  will  not  tell  me  why  % 
Why  have  me  tried  where  none  defends  my  cause  1 
'  lis  only  the  whole  truth  that  gives  the  fact  ; 
JMore  than  the  whole,  or  half,  is  but  a  lie. 
The  Christian's  great  Exemplar  was  sincere  ; 
At  every  place  and  time  his  lips  spoke  truth — 
Said  he,  and  saiJ  it  to  the  men  themselves, 
Ye  serpents,  ye  progeny  of  vipers, 
How  can  ye  hope  to  'scape  the  Hell  ye  earni 
Ah,  this  was  heaven-like,  was  being  honest. 
He  dared  to  be  the  foe  of  vice  out-right ; 

VOL.  IL  51 


iK)2  A    RETURN    TOrEN. 

And  shall  we  fear  to  copy  from  the  Lord  1 

We  cast  reproach  upon  him  when  we  dare  not. 

How  can  the  cfood  man  dare  deceive  his  fellows  1 

Let  the  unjrodly  practice  their  deceit  ; 

They  have  their  sure  reward  !  Let  us  speak  truth. 

Be  men  the  foes  of  God  ?     Then  tell  them  so. 

Say  nothing  that  shall  hide  from  them  their  state, 

And  make  them  hope  for  heaven  while  lost. 

Why  tell  them  God  is  pleased,  while  conscience  lowers, 

And  death  draws  near,  the  judgment  close  at  hand. 

"  Hell  moves  to  meet  them,"  all  their  hopes  a  dream  "? 

The  pit,  the  outer  darkness,  and  the  gnawing  worm. 

Will  soon  their  doom  disclose,  your  treachery  prove. 

Be  men  the  friends  of  God,  Why  injure  them  1 

Why  need  they  on  the  road  to  Heaven  be  betrayed, 

And  grieved,  and  wounded  by  a  Christian  friend  1 

Lips,  that  a  coal  from  off  the  altar  touched. 

How  can  they  He  \     But  if  all  this  may  be, 

(O,  tell  it  not  in  Gath,  hush  it  in  Askalon.) 

Still  can  they  to  their  very  kindred  lie 
Deceive  a  brother  !  undermine  a  friend  ! 
Hope  too,  to  live  in  heaven  with  that  friend  ! 

The  author  hopes  that  he  possesses  a  spirit  of  forsiveness,  though  he  has  thus 
made  use  of  the  poet's  licente,  and  expressed  in  strong  language  his  hatred  of 
duplicity. 


LINES  SENT  AS  A  "RETURN  TOKEN"  FOR  A  VALUABLE  PRESENT, 
JANUARY  1,  1831. 

'TwAs  New  Year's  day  of  thirty-one. 
It  dawned  on  Troy  with  promise  kind  ; 

The  Spirit  had  its  work  begun  ; 
The  dead  to  raise,  the  lost  to  find. 

We  early  sought  the  house  of  prayer — 

'Twas  full  of  feeling,  full  of  God, 
For  scores  of  throbbing  hearts  were  there 

To  seek  his  grace  and  plead  his  word. 


A   DIRGE    OF    THE    SANCTUARY. 

Kind  Heaven  heard  the  morning  song, 
And  listened  to  our  fervent  cry, 

While  angels  did  the  song  prolong, 
And  told  the  story  through  the  sky. 

God  had  shed  down  some  mercy  drops, 
And  Troy  its  sweetest  New  Year  saw, 

And  cheerful  smiles  and  heavenly  hopes 
Graced  many  a  lately  anxious  brow. 

Two  forms  appeared  in  kindness  dressed- 
AfTection's  token  in  their  hands  ; 

""he  giver  shall  be  doubly  blessed, 
The  God  of  mercy  so  demands. 

May  God  your  kindness  quite  repay, 
Your  New  Year's  gift  in  grace  restore, 

And  guide  you  by  a  heavenly  ray, 
And  on  your  seed  his  blessings  pour. 
For  ever  and  for  ever  more. 


A  DIRGE  OF  THE  SANCTUARY.* 

TwAS  the  third  watch  of  night,  and  all  was  still, 
Save  the  lone  house-dog  in  his  kennel  dark, 
Who  gave  portentous  signs  of  woe  at  hand — 
Then  burst  the  cry  o?  fire !  on  my  drowsy  ear. 
I  hearkened,  and  the  cry  waxed  louder  still. 
And  louder. 

My  chamber  opened  on  the  north  and  east. 
And  the  shrill  piercing  cry  had  waked  me — 
Oh !  'twas  the  Temple  of  the  living  God 
All  lighted  up  by  its  own  gloomy  fires  ; 
Each  ornament  became  a  flaming  torch, 
And  guided  the  destroyer  in  his  ruthless  march 
Oh !  it  seized  at  length  the  stubborn  frame-work, 

•  Written  on  the  nia;ht  of  the  burning  of  St.  Philip's  (an  Episcopal)  Charch, 
at  Charleston,  S.  C,  in  1835— the  oldest  church  in  that  city,  and  one  of  the  most 
ancient  church  edifices  in  the  United  States. 


A    WO.MJUOUS    HEGGAR. 

As  savage  tiger,  from  the  deep  dark  wood 

Seizes  the  aged  pilgrim  by  the  way — 

Tears  the  flesh,  piecemeal,  quivering  in  his  teeth, 

And  bears  him  to  his  lair — then  stays  to  rest. 

A  sacred  tablet  told  its  wondrous  age — 

How  solemn  read  that  seventeen  hundred  twenty-three  ! 

But  all  its  work  was  done,  and  heaven  now  called 

The  city  to  its  obsequies.     0,  why  be  burned 

The  consecrated  house  of  God  !     Fly  quick  some  angel, 

Dip  your  wing  in  life's  fair  stream  and  quench  the  fire, 

It  should  not,  cannot  burn,  for  God  is  there. 

Most  cruel  storm,  to  swell  thy  blast,  and  rage, 

And  blow,  at  this  sad  hour  so  barb'rously! 

Ah,  must  thy  pipes  all  stay  their  melody,* 

And  not  one  gloomy  dirge  mourn  out  thy  obsequies'? 

Prostrate  in  dust  the  pride  of  Charleston  lies: 

The  glory  of  a  century  is  gone,  clean  gone  for  ever. 

The  watchful  clock  knew  well  the  wonted  hour. 

And  gathered  up  its  strength  to  strike  once  more — 

As  if  impressed  that  it  could  never  speak  again, 

''t  uttered  one !  two  ! !  three ! ! !  and  all  was  still.f 


A  WONDROUS  BEGGAR. 

All  hungry  from  the  wilderness  he  came. 

Barefoot,  and  covered  with  a  camel's  skin, 

And  girt  his  loins  with  thong,  and  bald. 

Months  had  the  raven's  brought  him  meat  and  flesh, 

And  Cheriih  l)rought  him  water,  kind  Heaven's  bounty  ; 

Ah,  but  the  brook  had  dried.     The  ravens  kept 

Their  duty  up,  through  many  a  moon  unwearied. 

And  called  him  to  his  meal,  each  morn,  each  night, 

And  when  the  work  was  done,  stayed  by  the  task. 

"Elijah,  man  of  God,  come  to  your  bread!'' 

How  strange  the  servant,  and  the  server  strange, 

A  bird  that  lives  on  prey,  and  loves  most  loathsome  food! 

Referring  to  the  or?an. 
t  The  tower  fell  just  as  the  clock  struck  three. 


A    WONDROUS    BEGGAK.  40E> 

How  came  he  by  the  clean  and  healthful  meal  1 

Did  it  drop  down  from  heaven  1     Or  came  it  whence  1 

The  prophet's  Lord  owns  all  the  cattle  on  the  hills. 

But  he  had  gone  to  prove  a  widow's  faith, 
And  have  her  fit  betimes  for  heaven.     Famine  raged — 
The  earth  was  iron  and  the  sky  was  brass — 
Nor  rain  nor  dew  had  dropped  for  many  a  month — 
Death  stared  her  in  the  face.     Her  meal  was  low, 
Her  oil  sunk  in  the  cruise.     What  could  she  do 
But  die  1     But  lo  !  the  wondrous  beggar  came  from  far  ! 
She  knew  her  noble  guest.     'Twas  not  a  costly  palace, 
Nor  she  a  queen  in  gay  and  rich  attire  ; 
No  badge  could  win  him  to  her  lonely  hut. 
He  asked  for  water.     Ahab's  flocks  had  none  ; 
'Twas  famine  in  the  courts  of  kings  and  princes. 
What  wondrous  streamlet,  think  ye,  fed  her  spring "? 
Did  it  rill  down  from  heaven  1     Or  came  it  up 
From  earth's  deep  fountains,  where  the  famine  reached  not  I 
Deep  from  the  nether  springs  some  angel  drew  it  up  ; 
It  came  most  plenteously — it  came  most  timely — 
The  widow  and  her  son  were  gathering  up  two  sticks, 
To  bake  a  cake  and  die — 'twas  the  last  morsel. 
Bake  one  for  me,  the  wondrous  beggar  cried, 
And  then  for  thee  and  him — There'll  be.  no  want. 
There'll  be  no  want !  the  little  urchin  cried  ;  what  can  it  mean  ^ 
The  oil  and  meal  are  almost  gone  ; 
He  knows  not,  said  the  careful  lad,  our  want; 
He  did  not  hear  our  cry  for  daily  bread. 
This  morning,  ere  the  dawn  had  broken  forth ; 
He  did  not  see  my  anxious  mother's  tears; 
I  wonder  does  he  know  she  is  a  widow'? 
0  mother,  let  me  rell  him  he  has  missed  the  house 
Where  Heaven  would  have   him  fed.     Hold  now  thy  peace, 

my  son. 
The  stranger  is  from  God. — I  heard  him  pray — 
His  faith  took  hold  of  Heaven — 'twas  the  strong  grip  of  death — 
God  will  yet  make  it  plain,  my  son,  "  There'll  be  no  want^ 
Ah !  what  can  mother  mean  \     The  beggar's  cake 
Will  drain  the  barrel  dry,  and  spend  the  oil. 
She  baked  the  cake — the  meal  expended  not — 
The  oil  but  multiplied.     There  seemed  far  more 


406  DIRGE  FOR  THE  FOURTH  OF  JULY. 

Than  when  they  supped  last  night  — Heaven  increased  it ; 

Now  she  well  knew  her  guest — God's  holy  prophet — 

And  many  a  month  she  fed  him  at  her  board ; 

Her  meal  still  lasted,  and  her  oil  held  out. 

Their  holy  converse  we  may  know  in  heaven, 

When  olden  times  shall  pour  their  story  on  the  ear 

Of  the  redeemed.     Reader,  let  you  and  I  be  there — 

We'll  have  the  story  from  their  own  sweet  lips, 

In  high  and  holy  songs.       *         *         * 

He'll  tell  us  of  his  raising  up  the  lad. 

While  lodged  'neath  the  same  roof,  and  fed  by  miracle ; 

And  the  whole  story  of  the  prophets  slain  ; 

Of  Jezebel,  the  impious  wife  of  Ahab, 

Whose  heart  was  set  on  mischief  and  on  blood. 

Till  the  dogs  licked  her  own,  at  Naboth's  vineyard. 

Perchance  he'll  glance  at  scenes  of  later  date, 

And  tell  the  tale  of  the  transfigured  Lamb 

On  Tabor,  ere  he  suffered  on  Moriah's  mount ; 

And  then  he'll  help  us  to  admire  His  love, 

Who  washed  us. 


DIRGE  FOR  THE  FOURTH  OF  JULY,  1834. 

In  a  mouldering  cave,  where  her  woe  sought  retreat, 

Columbia  sat  wasted  with  care, 
For  a  Washington  wept,  and  lamented  her  loss, 

And  gave  herself  up  to  despair. 

The  sides  of  her  cell  she  had  sculptured  around 

With  th'  exploits  of  her  favorite  son. 
And  every  pathway  and  every  rock. 

Seemed  inscribed  with  some  deed  he  had  done. 

The  star  of  her  glory  rose  high  in  the  Avest, 

Her  Eagle  no  prowess  could  daunt ; 
The  cleft  of  the  rock  was  the  place  of  her  rest — 

The  heavens  invited  her  liaunt. 


UPON    THE    MORAL    AFFECTIONS.  407 

But  the  tears  ceased  at  length  to  moisten  her  face, 

Her  commerce  filled  every  sea; 
Her  glory  was  sung  by  the  nations  afar, 

'Tvvas  the  song  of  the  brave  and  the  free. 

But  a  sigh  from  her  cave  broke  her  joy  in  the  midst, 

Like  the  slow  dirge  of  one  she  begat  ; 
We  listened  to  know  who  the  stranger  could  be 

'Twas  the  loved  and  the  brave  LAFAYETTE. 

Hail,  heroes  !  you're  gone  from  the  seat  of  the  brave, 

0 !  to  know  that  your  sins  were  forgiven, 
That  your  spirits  may  rise,  when  youVe  waked  from  the  grave, 

To  fill  some  high  mansion  in  heaven  ; 

And  the  land  that  you  loved,  may  it  smile  in  the  west, 

Till  moon,  and  till  sun  shine  no  more  ; 
Be  the  theme  of  the  brave,  and  the  place  of  their  rest, 

For  ever  and  for  ever  more. 


■raE  INFLUENCE  OF  A    GOOD  TASTE   UPON   THE  MORAL   AFFEC- 
TIONS.* 

The  question  has  been  often  asked,  whether  this  is  a  deformed 
or  a  beautiful  world  ;  whether  it  came  from  the  hand  of  its  Maker 
in  its  present  aspect,  or  has  been  marred  and  defaced  by  some 
mighty  disaster.  Men  have  had  on  this  subject  widely  different 
opinions.  One  has  seen  nothing  in  which  this  world  is  defective ; 
no  mountain  he  would  have  levelled,  no  valley  he  would  raise,  no 
rock  he  would  bury,  no  marsh  he  would  drain,  no  heath  he  would 
fertilize,  no  morass  he  would  redeem.  Another  has  seen,  or 
thought  he  saw,  deformity  every  where,  and  has  in  many  a  gloomy 
hour  responded  to  that  moan  of  the  poet,  uttered  in  view  o{  the 
first  transgression : 

"  Earth  felt  the  wound,  and  Nature,  from  her  seat 
Si^hin^;  through  all  her  woiks,  gave  signs  of  wo, 
That  all  was  lost." 

*  Delivered  before  the  Alexandrian  Society  of  Amherst  College,  August  21,  • 
1827. 


1-08  THE  INFLUENCE  OF  A  GOOD  TASTE 

To  him  it  has  seemed,  that  in  every  hill  and  vale  and  ocean  and 
lake  and  healh  and  river  there  is  some  curse  to  be  deplored."  Oth- 
ers again  have  discovered  on  the  face  of  this  world  many  beauties, 
which  must  have  been  designed  as  such  by  its  Creator  ;  while 
yet  they  see  deformities,  which  indicate,  that  when  Jehovah  rested 
from  his  w^ork  he  left  this  world  not  as  it  now  is,  and  ^hich  be- 
speak some  convulsion,  by  which  its  distortions  have  been  genera- 
ted, and  much  of  its  original  beauty  lost.  Some  of  its  most  ele- 
vated ridges  wear  the  marks  of  having  risen  from  the  ocean,  while 
the  presumption  is,  that  what  were  once  its  mountains  are  now 
buried  in  the  depths  of  the  sea. 

That  the  earth  has  been  swept  over  by  some  deluge  passing 
from  north  to  south,  is  too  obvious  to  admit  of  a  doubt.  But  whe- 
ther the  event,  happen  when  or  how  it  might,  finally  left  the  sur- 
face of  the  world  deformed  or  beautiful^  may  still  be  a  question  to 
be  decided,  very  differently  perhaps,  by  our  different  tastes. 
One  man  will  see  deformity  in  some  cases  where  another  sees 
only  beauty.  It  may  even  be  questioned,  whether  men  of 
equally  improved  tastes  will  invariably  agree  in  what  is  beau- 
tiful, and  what  deformed,  in  the  sceneries  of  nature.  One  may 
have  taste  only  for  what  is  flain,  and  another  for  what  is  splen- 
did. One  may  be  most  gratified  when  in  his  landscape  there  are 
seen  the  barren  rock,  and  the  broken  cliff;  while  another,  who 
can  be  pleased  only  with  what  is  useful,  must  see  every  spot  fer. 
tile,  have  every  rock  concealed,  and  every  eminence  accessible. 
Which  of  these  have  the  best  taste,  is  a  question  on  which  inge- 
nuity might  employ  itself  most  elegantly,  and   not   without  profit. 

Whether  taste  should  be  der.ominated  an  internal  sense,  or 
judgment  operating  without  any  perceptible  process  of  reasoning, 
is  of  small  moment;  for  whatever  difficulties  there  may  be  in  de- 
fining, there  is  none  in  understanding  it.  "  Taste,"  says  an  elegant 
writer,  "  is  of  all  nature's  gifts  the  most  easily  felt,  and  the  most 
difficult  to  explain  ;  it  would  not  be  what  it  is,  if  it  could  be  de- 
fined ;  for  it  judges  of  objects  beyond  the  reach  of  judgment,  and 
serves  in  a  manner  as  a  magnifying  glass  to  reason."  I  have  sup- 
posed it  not  wide  from  the  truth  to  say,  that  taste  is  a  sense  of  the 
understanding,  holding  much  the  same  relation  to  objects  of  nature 
and  art,  that  conscience,  another  sense,  holds  to  moral  objects. 
As  one  has  been  defined,  "  The  power  of  receiving  pleasure  or 
pain  from  the  beauties  or  deformities  of  nature  and  of  art;"  so  the 
other  may  be  termed,  the  power  of  receiving  pleasure  or  pain 
from  moral  beauty  or  deformity.     Hence,  to  trace  the  resemblance 


UPON    THE    MORAL    AFFECTIONS.  409 

a  little  further,  as  there  may  be  a  vitiated  conscience  that  shall 
approve  of  the  most  abominable  deeds,  so  there  may  be  a  vitiated 
taste  that  is  pleased  with  what  is  beyond  doubt  a  deformity.  I  am 
aware  that  this  remark  however  involves  the  question,  whether 
there  is  any  standard  of  taste  founded  in  the  principles  of  the  hu- 
man constitution,  or  whether  casual  association  is  to  account  for 
all  our  notions  in  matters  of  taste. 

But  leaving  all  these  questions  to  men  of  more  leisure,  I  pro- 
pose to  inquire,  whether  a  cultivated  taste  exerts  a  favorable  influ- 
ence upon  the  moral  affections.  1  have  supposed  the  affirmative  of 
this  question  capable  of  the  fullest  proof,  and  that  the  discussion 
of  it  would  lead  to  a  great  variety  of  practical  and  important  re- 
marks suited  to  this  occasion.     I  would  say,  then,  in  the 

Fiist  place,  That  a  cultivated  taste  tends  to  soothe  and  restrain 
the  unrulely  and  turbulent  passions.  I  venture  to  assert,  that  the 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ  excepted,  there  is  no  power  that  can  ope- 
rate more  favorably  upon  the  passions  than  such  a  taste.  The 
mind  that  is  under  its  plastic  influence  will  naturally  be  led  to 
dwell  on  objects  that  excite  the  better  emotions,  the  soft  and  ten- 
der, or  the  grand  and  sublime  5  is  withdrawn  from  vexatious  care, 
and  led  to  retirement  and  reflection  ;  and  the  result  of  all  this  is 
tranquility.  And  the  mind  thus  occupied  will  not  so  readily  seek 
enjoyments  that  are  forbidden. 

In  all  parts  of  creation  there  are  beauties  or  sublimities  by 
which  a  good  taste  is  gratified.  Above  are  the  hosts  of  heaven, 
the  sun  going  forth  in  his  strength,  the  moon  walking  in  brio-ht- 
ness,  and  the  uncounted  stars  decorating  the  whole  expanse.  As 
we  descend  to  earth,  we  find  it  clothed  in  beauties  too  permanent 
to  suffer  any  power  but  that  which  spake  them  into  being  to  erase 
them.  Hence,  to  a  cultivated  taste  there  are  every  where  sources 
of  enjoyment  calculated  to  supplant  the  rougher  afl^ections,  and 
generate  and  mature  those  that  are  kind  and  lovely  ;  and  the  mind 
that  is  innocently  happy  is  not  so  easily  disturbed  by  temptations. 

What  evil  passion  can  rage  uncontrolled  at  a  moment  when  the 
mind  is  happy  in  enjoyments  which  God  has  not  forbidden  :  happy 
in  the  works  of  his  own  hands.  The  mind  thus  occupied  will  be 
urged  to  the  reflection  of  the  poet : 

«  These  are  thy  glorious  works,  Parent  of  good, 
Almighty,  thine  this  universal  frame, 
Thus  wondrous  fair ;  thyself  how  wondrous  then  !** 

And  what  power  has  any  forbidden  object  to  attract  or  control  a 
VOL.  II.  52 


196  THE    INFLUENCE    OF    A    GOOD    TASTE 

mind  so  employed?  Envy,  for  instance,  what  place  can  it  have  \ 
A  good  taste  enjoys  what  is  another's.  It  cares  not  whose  is  the 
landscape,  or  the  palace,  or  the  tastefully  cultivated  garden.  It 
waits  not  to  ask  what  interest  accrues  to  self  from  the  fertility, 
the  order,  the  convenience,  the  harmony,  or  variety  which  it  sees 
and  admires.  It  covets  not  to  call  the  stars  its  own,  nor  the  brook 
that  winds  down  the  valley,  nor  the  fruits  and  foliage  that  cover 
the  hills.  The  stranger^  no  less  than  X\\e  proprietor,  may  inhale  the 
fragrance,  and  hear  the  music,  and  feel  the  harmony  that  breathes 
about  him.  The  man  of  taste  realizes  to  some  extent  the  rich  ex- 
perience of  the  child  of  God: 

"  He  looks  abroad  into  the  varied  field 
Of  nature,  and,  though  poor,  perhaps,  compared 
With  those  whose  mansions  glitter  in  his  sight, 
Calls  the  delighthful  scenery  all  his  own. 
His  are  the  mountains,  and  the  valleys  his, 
And  the  resplendent  rivers." 

"Yes,  ye  may  fill  your  garners,  ye  that  reap 
The  loaded  soil,  and  ye  may  waste  much  good, 
In  senseless  riot." 

Bnt  there  are  men  that  have  "  richer  use  of  yours  than  you." 
The  man  of  cultivated  taste  owns  all  he  sees.  The  cottage  on  the 
hill,  and  the  flocks  that  feed  about  it,  and  the  woodbine  that  creeps 
it  over,  and  the  house-birds  that  build  their  nests  there,  are  all  the 
instruments  of  his  gratification.  Nature,  with  all  its  original 
scenery,  and  art,  with  all  its  varied  improvements,  are  so  much 
the  property  and  inheritance  of  a  good  taste,  that  envy  can  hardly 
find  entrance. 

Covetousness,  a  kindred  passion,  will  be  restrained  by  the  same 
means.  A  good  taste  can  leave  others  in  possession  of  what  is 
theirs,  satisfied  with  the  power  of  enjoying  what  is  not,  as  well  as 
what  is  its  own.  It  is  like  the  lark,  which  can  soar  amid  the 
heavens,  and  may  light  and  drink  at  any  brook,  and  gather  its  food 
on  any  field,  and  cares  not  to  call  the  territory  its  own. 

I  even  venture  to  say  that  the  angry  passions  are  restrained  by 
the  same  means.  These  are  more  likely  to  have  their  abode  in 
minds  that  have  never  traveled  from  home,  nor  been  expanded  by 
cultivation  ;  and  are  produced  by  a  contractedness  and  a  jealousy, 
as  mean  as  mischievous  ;  deformities  which  a  good  taste,  as  well 
as  a  right  temper,  reprobates  as  coarse,  unsightly,  and  repulsive. 
The  harsh  language,  and  the    course   rebuke,    and   the    distorted 


UPON    THE    MORAL    AFFECTIONS.  411 

countenance,  and  the  whole  apparatus  of  malevolence  are,  to  a 
good  taste,  grating  beyond  endurance. 

I  have  not  meant  to  say,  nor  have  I  said,  that  an  improved  taste 
will  wholly  subdue  these  passions  ;  but  that  it  may  be  the  ally  of 
piety.  We  have  always  seen  the  rougher  passions  and  an  un- 
cultivated taste  in  the  same  household,  and  associated  by  the  same 
fireside.  Can  you  not  know  something  of  a  family  by  the  avenue 
to  their  habitation!  When  you  see  it  all  deformity  without;  un- 
sightliness,  and  disproportion,  and  inconvenience,  can  you  not 
trace,  maiiy  times,  a  corresponding  roughness  of  moral  aspect  in 
its  uncultivated  tenants  1  While  the  mind  acts  upon  every  thing 
about  it,  there  is  from  every  thing  about  it,  a  reaction  upon  the 
mind.  I  know  there  are  cases  when  we  discover  what  is  kind  in 
the  midst  of  unsightliness  and  deformity.  We  have  sometimes 
found  true  religion  where  there  is  little  else.  It  is  not  denied  that 
the  grace  of  God  may  aehieve  what  a  cultivated  taste  could  not,  and 
still  the  latter  may  be  very  far  from  powerless.  Go  to  the  tasteful 
but  lowly  dwelling,  which  is  approached  by  a  neatly  adorned  avenue 
set  with  many  a  flower,  and  stripped  of  all  that  is  coarse  and  un- 
couth, and  there  will  be  many  chances  that  its  door  will  be  hospit- 
ably thrown  open,  and  the  stranger  welcomed,  and  his  inquiries 
civilly  and  kindly  answered.  The  very  child  that  meets  you  and 
welcomes  you,  will  exhibit  a  mind  mellowed  down  by  the  trans- 
forming influence  of  the  scenery  around  him. 

1  know  that  the  passions  may  be  tame,  through  deficiency  of  in- 
tellect, or  may  be,  on  the  other  hand,  too  refractory  for  a  good 
taste  to  restrain  ;  and  when  the  latter  has  operated,  even  powerfully, 
it  may  not  have  produced  the  whole  effect  that  piety  would. 

"None  but  a  power  divinely  strong 
Can  turn  the  current  of  the  soul." 

We  have  seen  men  of  polished  manners,  and  improved  tastes,  under 
a  paroxysm  of  passion,  degraded  into  all  that  is  coarse  and  forbid- 
ding in  the  savage.  Hence  the  barbarous  habit  of  duelling,  even 
among  our  most  accomplished  men,  and  hence  the  coarse  and  un- 
courteous  style  with  which  eloquent  lips,  and  the  pen  well  disci- 
plined, can  sometimes  attack  a  perhaps  perfectly  innocent  rival. 
How  ashamed  have  we  sometimes  been,  to  see  issuing  from  the 
halls  of  legislation,  a  ribaldry  that  would  raise  ablush  in  Newgate. 
These  were  instances  when  a  cultivated  taste  had  not  power  enough 
to  imprison  thj  malignant  passions,  and  showed  its  infinite  inferi- 
ority to  that  grace   of  God,  which  can  bind  the  strong  man,  and 


41.*  THE  INFLUENCE  OF  A  GOOD  TASTE 

even  cast  out  devils.  So  the  ferocious  animal  that  is  charmc".]  by 
music,  retains  still  his  c'aus  and  his  fangs,  does  but  temporarily  for- 
get his  habits  of  prey,  and  is  mild  only  till  the  harmony  that  held  him 
has  ceased.  Tiie  power  which  cannot  convert  the  lion  into  a  lamb, 
may  lay  his  fury  ;  what  cannot  render  the  vulture  a  dove,  may  turn 
away  his  eye  from  the  prey.  A  cultivated  taste  may,  in  the  hour 
of  assault,  open  the  mind  to  conviction,  and  lay  the  tumult  of  ])as- 
sion,  till  reason  and  conscience  can  do  their  office,  and  thus  tiie 
man  may  be  saved  through  its  influence  from  a  headlong  plunge 
into  misery  and  ruin. 

We  ascribe  to  a  good  taste  a  similar  influence  over  the  deformities 
of  surfeiting,  inebriation,  and  lust.  In  the  hall  of  gluttony,  in  the 
haunts  of  intemperance,  and  in  the  dark  retreats  of  pollution,  it 
sees  what  oflends  it  as  certainly  as  piety  is  offended.  'I'hat  the 
appetites  should  govern  reason  is  a  disgusting  perversion  of  all  or- 
der and  decorum.  That  the  fancy,  the  imagination,  the  memory, 
and  the  whole  apparatus  of  intellect,  with  the  organs  of  sense  and  the 
whole  family  of  kind  and  useful  instincts,  should  be  subjected  to  the 
dominion  of  lust,  is  as  unsQpmly  and  incongruous,  as  it  is  impious. 
To  see  the  angel  mind  suspend  its  nobler  occupations,  and  descend 
from  the  high  elevation  of  reflection  and  reason,  to  become  con- 
versant with  the  premises,  and  the  conclusions,  and  the  outland- 
ish dialect  of  the  gaming  table,  or  the  vulgarities  of  the  midnight 
carouse,  is  to  an  improved  taste  pitiable,  and  disgusting.  I  would 
have  every  man  a  Christian,  that  I  might  be  sure  that  he  will 
not  descend  so  low,  but,  if  this  may  not  be,  I  would  have  him  a 
man  of  taste  and  refinement,  that  he  may  not  so  debase  himself. 
When  we  have  seen  the  man,  who  might  have  been  a  philosopher, 
a  poet,  a  statesman  or  a  philanthropist ;  who  might  have  vied  with 
Locke  and  Boyle  and  Newton  and  Burke  ;  might  have  been  classed 
with  Howard  and  Sharp  and  Clarksonand  Wilberforce  ;  might  have 
risen  in  holiness  of  design  and  energy  of  purpose,  to  an  enrolment 
with  Brainard  and  Swarts  and  Vanderkemp  and  Martin  and  i\Iills; 
might  have  made  themselves  greatly  useful  and  very  dear  to  their 
generations  as  did  Edwards  and  Dwight  and  Worcester  and  Moore  ; 
— to  see  one  who  might  have  thus  exalted  his  nature,  and  given 
the  highest  value  to  his  existence,  reeling  through  the  streets,  and 
pouring  forth  pollution  from  his  impious  lips,  as  he  returns  from 
the  rendezvous,  to  distract  the  order,  and  break  the  peace,  and 
extinguish  the  last  lingering  hope  of  his  family  ;  Oh  !  this  is  a  sight, 
with  which,  religion  aside,  and  humanity  aside,  a  good  taste  is  dis- 
ffusted  to  the  last  degree. 


UPON   THE   MORAL   AFFECTIONS.  413 

And  when  concupiscence,  in  its  unhallowed  vagrancy,  has  mur- 
dered the  peace  of  some  other  family,  and  begins  to  re-act  upon 
home,  withering  all  the  prospects  that  budded  and  blossomed  there  5 
and  the  wife  becomes  ashamed  of  her  husband,  and  the  children  of 
their  father,  and  the  happy  circle  is  at  length  broken  up,  and  cast 
out  the  prey  of  a  selfish  and  unfeeling  world,  then  is  a  good  taste  no 
less  than  piety  itself  outraged. — As  if  the  clown  should  be  permit- 
ted, with  coarse,  untutored  pencil,  to  besmear  and  utterly  ruin  one 
of  the  finest  paintings  of  Raphael,  or  chisel  into  uncouthness  and 
distortion  one  of  the  noblest  statues  of  Angelo  ;  for  no  painting  or 
statue,  no  achievement  of  art  or  genius,  has  ever  more  highly  grati- 
fied a  refined  taste,  than  the  image  of  a  harmonious  family,  mov- 
ing on  in  the  sphere  of  domestic  duty  and  enjoyment,  while 

"Each  fulfils  his  part, 
"With  sympathizing  heart, 
In  all  the  cares  of  life  and  love." 

Let  some  cultivated  mind  compare  to  the  life  this  drawing,  let 
some  statuary  lay  in  bold  relief  before  the  eye  all  the  smiling  fea- 
tures of  such  a  scene,  and  then  let  it  be  all  defaced  by  the  de- 
bauched husband  and  father,  and  tell  me  if  a  good  taste  would  be 
more  disgusted,  should  a  swine  from  the  mire  enter  a  palace,  and 
tear  and  besmear  and  destroy  every  object  it  could  reach.  Thus 
a  good  taste  is  at  war  with  the  unhallowed  passions,  and  becomes 
a  powerful  ally  of  virtue. 

Let  me  say  again,  that  a  cultivated  taste  is  the  friend  of  virtue, 
as  it  operates  to  remove  the  monuments  of  our  disgrace,  and  ob- 
jects of  our  embarrassment  and  vexation,  that  have  marred  the 
beauty  of  the  exterior  creation.  Give  it  the  means,  and  it  oblite- 
rates every  physical  disorder,  and  brings  back  the  world  to  its 
primitive  beauty  and  loveliness,  and  causes  to  glow  a  boundless 
Eden  in  the  valley  of  death.  It  would  terrace  every  hill  to  its 
summit,  or  car,t  it  into  the  deep  ravine;  would  wall  and  restrain 
the  wayward  current;  would  drain  the  morass;  would  shape  to 
proportion  the  deformities  of  the  protruding  rock;  would  spread 
fertility  over  the  heath,  and  paint  every  cottage,  and  eradicate  for 
ever  the  noxious  shrub  and  plant  and  tree.  Thus  would  there  be 
destroyed  the  haunt  of  the  serpent,  the  lair  of  the  wolf,  the  retreat 
of  the  robber,  the  pestiferous  exhalations  that  generate  disease  and 
death,  and  the  world  would  become  beautiful  again  as  when  its 
Almighty  Creator  pronounced  it  all  very  good.  And  then  who 
can  doubt  but  its  tenants  would  become  more  happy  and  more  vir- 


414  THE  INFLUENCE  OF  A  GOOD  TASTE 

tuons.  Having  fewer  fears  and  fewer  vexations,  they  would  in- 
dulge less  frequently  the  malignant  passions.  They  might  sit 
then  under  their  vine  and  their  figtree,  and  there  would  be  none 
to  make  them  afraid. 

Let  me  say  again,  that  a  cultivated  taste  tends  to  bring  men  un- 
der the  influence  of  sacred  truth,  and  thus  holds  them  within  the 
reach  of  resistless  reformation  and  virtue.  Reason  and  judgment 
confirm  the  decisions  of  a  good  taste,  and  are  employed  though 
imperceptibly  in  all  its  operations;  hence  such  a  taste  is  friendly 
to  correct  habits  of  thought ;  and  the  man  accustomed  to  think 
correctly  on  one  subject,  is,  to  say  the  least,  the  better  prepared 
to  investigate  another.  Now  there  is  no  other  system  in  which 
such  a  taste  can  find  the  harmony,  and  the  order,  and  the  consis- 
tency, and  the  grandeur,  which  prevail  in  the  system  of  divine 
truth.  There  are  positions  that  no  genius  can  controvert,  argu- 
ments that  no  discernment  can  impeach,  illustrations  that  strike 
with  the  vividness  of  lightning,  and  conclusions  that  bear  upon  an 
ingenuous  mind  with  the  weight  of  a  world.  Hence  we  should 
decide,  a  priori^  that  a  good  taste  could  not  overlook  the  book  of 
God.  And  what  is  there  in  the  whole  apparatus  o[  n  practical  j-eli- 
gion  to  which  such  a  taste  is  not  congenial  1  The  Sabbath  of  the 
Lord,  that  stills  the  tumult  of  labor,  calls  man  from  his  drudgery, 
clothes  him  in  neatness,  and  wakes  the  peal  of  the  church  going 
bell,  and  congregates  the  multitude,  and  seats  them  in  the  sanctu- 
ary, and  breaks  down  all  adventitious  distinction,  and  puts  a  thou- 
sand minds  upon  the  track  of  the  same  august  truth  ;  and  spreads 
a  stillness  and  a  composure  and  a  thoughtfulness  over  the  whole 
region,  how  beautiful!  how  sublime!  If  we  look  at  facts,  do  they 
not  testify,  that  a  cultivated  taste  sustains  a  close  relationship  to 
all  tWisI  Are  the  families  that  are  represented  in  the  solemn  as- 
seiiiljly,  the  mean,  and  the  uncultivated  ?  And  do  we  find  loung- 
ing away  the  hours  of  holy  rest,  the  neatly  clad,  and  best  improv- 
ed portions  of  the  community  1  Or  do  we  find  this  better  part  of 
society  in  the  sanctuary,  joining  in  its  prayers,  and  aiding  in  its 
praise,  and  listening  to  the  mysteries  of  heavenly  truth,  and  bring- 
ing to  a  higher  elevation  that  taste,  which  aided  in  assembling 
them  1  Go  to  those  districts  of  Christendom,  where  no  gospel  is 
proclaimed,  and  no  multitudes  assemble  in  the  sanctuary,  and  no 
general  survey  of  their  hamlets  will  remind  you  that  it  is  the  Lord's 
day  ;  and  sure  as  life,  religion  is  wanting  there,  and  about  as  sure 
is  the  total  absence  of  a  cultivated  taste.  You  will  see  patroling 
the  streets,  their  untutored  and  beggarly  oflspring,  and  in  most  of 


UPON    THE    MORAL    AFFECTIONS.  415 

their  habitations  you  will  discover  the  sure  indication  of  minds  as 
uncultivated,  as  their  principles  and  conduct  are  immoral.  A  good 
taste  would  remove  many  of  the  obstacles  to  keeping  a  Sabbath, 
and  building  a  sanctuary,  and  supporting  a  ministry,  and  sustain- 
ing a  Sabbath  school,  and  erecting  a  library  for  the  improvement 
of  the  public  mind. 

Do  any  ask.  How  is  all  this  consistent  with  that  declaration, 
that,  "  Not  many  wise  men  after  the  flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not 
many  noble  are  called  :  but  God  hath  chosen  the  foolish  things  of 
this  world  to  confound  the  wise  ;  and  God  hath  chosen  the  weak 
things  of  this  world  to  confound  the  things  which  are  mighty  ;  and 
base  things  of  the  world,  and  things  which  are  despised,  hath  God 
chosen,  yea,  and  things  which  are  not,  to  bring  to  nought  things 
that  are  :  that  no  flesh  should  glory  in  his  presence  1"  Now 
let  me  say,  that  men  may  be  wise,  and  mighty,  and  noble,  in  the 
sense  of  this  passage,  and  still  be  as  destitute  of  a  good  taste  as 
their  postillion  or  their  footJtian.  Mere  wealth  may  procure  the 
wisdom  and  the  nobility  and  the  might  here  spoken  of,  but  it  does 
not  follow  that  there  will  be  the  delicate  imagination,  and  the  keen 
sensibility,  and  the  soundness  of  judgment,  and  the  wise  course  of 
reading  and  of  thinking,  which  indicate  a  cultivated  taste.  We 
have  seen  a  profusion  of  splendor  and  of  equipage,  and  a  disgust- 
ing routine  of  ceremony,  where  there  was  the  total  absence  of  the 
lovely  attribute  we  euiOgize.  One  is  virtue's  foe,  the  other  its 
ally.  The  whole  of  that  display  which  wealth  can  purchase  and 
in  which  pride  and  vanity  and  lust  vegetate,  is  the  opposite  of  vir- 
tue ;  but  not  so  that  sense  of  the  mind  which  gives  us  an  eye  to 
see  and  a  power  to  enjoy  the  ten  thousand  beauties  that  God  has 
spread  over  the  works  of  his  hands.  It  is  not  that  we  can  see  love- 
liness in  the  sceneries  of  nature  or  the  productions  of  art,  that  can 
ofTen.'l  the  Lord,  but  that  we  can  see  it  in  vice.  It  is  not  that  we 
have  the  wisdom  that  waked  in  Edtn,  that  God  will  disapprove; 
but  that  we  are  wise  in  our  own  conceits,  wise  to  do  evil.  It  is 
not  the  nobility  that  is  generated  by  thought  and  reflection  and 
reasoning,  and  which  is  found  in  angels,  that  operates  to  shut 
hea^en's  door  against  us;  but  the  nobility  which  originates  in  mis- 
applied wealth  and  flattery  and  pride. 

But  it  is  asked  whether  a  cultivated  taste  has  not  sometimes 
rendered  persons  unhappy,  as  they  must  often  be  constrained,  in  a 
world  like  this,  to  be  conversant  with  what  is  coarse  and  disgust- 
ing ?  I  will  not  deny  that  there  is  some  truth  in  this.  We  have 
seen  a  delicate  viroman   bred  to  the  most  refined  enjoyments,  and 


416  THE    INFLITENCE    OF    A    GOOD    TASTE 

improved  in  her  taste  till  she  deserved  all  that  the  world  could 
have  done  to  nnake  her  happy,  yoked  uneaually  to  a  savage;  in 
which  case, 

"Native  rage  and  native  fear  rose  and  forbid  delight,' 

and  we  were  ready  to  wish  that,  to  make  her  condition  less  un- 
pleasant, her  mind  had  remained  rude.  And  we  have  seen  ano- 
ther picture,  a  false  taste  connected  with  no  native  endowments, 
or  solid  improvements  of  intellect;  and  it  resulted,  as  we  should 
expect,  in  pride  and  passion,  and  fed  its  fantasy  on  ideal  beauties, 
not  seen  in  nature  nor  known  in  art ;  read  of,  perhaps,  in  the  pages 
of  a  novel,  or  seen  in  the  reveries  of  an  hysteric  imagination  ;  and 
the  result  was  misery,  as  it  should  be.  It  was  a  sickly,  feverish 
taste,  adapted  only  lo  an  ideal  world,  and  not  qualified  to  be  con- 
versant with  sober  realities.  But  it  was  a  vexation  that  such 
lunacy  should  be  called  taste. 

A  good  taste  must  be  connected  with  intellect,  and  must  grow 
with  the  growth  of  mind.  It  is  then  sane  and  sensible.  If  we  do 
fear  that,  in  some  few  instances,  a  cultivated  taste  has  dimini^-hed 
happiness,  in  most  cases  where  this  has  seemed  the  fact,  there  was 
the  total  absence  of  all  that  deserved  the  name. 

It  is  said  that  taste  is  a  costly  attribute,  and  produces  poverty, 
and  thus  immorality  and  misery.  I  promp'ly  assert  that  it  costs 
far  less  than  the  appetites  it  restrains.  Would  the  sot  and  the 
epicure  expend  in  the  cultivation  of  a  good  taste  the  fortunes  la- 
vished upon  their  appetites,  the  latter  expense  would  be  saved,  and 
the  amount  would  surround  them  with  ten  thousand  beauties,  con- 
veniences, and  comforts.  It  will  generally  happen,  in  this  country 
at  least,  that  if  men  will  forego  the  pampering  of  their  lusts,  they 
wili  not  lack  the  means  of  gratifying  a  good  taste.  It  makes  not 
large  demands  where  there  are  small  resources.  The  lowly  cottage, 
with  its  little  patch  of  shrubbery,  fruits,  and  flowers,  may  be  quite 
as  tasteful  as  the  palace,  with  its  proud  and  lofty  architecture. 

If  it  be  thought  that  taste  consumes  time,  it  may  be  answered, 
that  it  saves  more  than  it  consumes.  It  makes  all  its  drafts  upon 
idleness  and  vice.  Its  bed  of  flowers  it  cultivates,  and  has  lime 
left,  while  sloth  claims  another  nap,  and  while  envy  slanders  a 
neighbor,  and  while  appetite  is  gorging  its  pernicious  viands  and 
fatal  draughts,  and  while  covetousness  is  counting  up  its  gains,  and 
while  anger  is  rankling,  and  wrath  is  burning,  and  revenge  is  plot- 
ting in  the  bosom  of  fools.  I  even  assert  that  its  tendency  is  to 
enrich.     A  good  taste  wili  seek  the  means  of  its  own  gratification. 


UPON    THE    MORAL    AFFECTIONS.  417 

It  will  aim  first  to  acquire  the  necessaries  and  conveniences  of  life, 
and  this  will  lead  to  enterprise  that  will  nerve  the  man  for  duty. 
Besides  the  exertions  made  for  these  purposes,  he  will  put  forth 
another  effort  that  he  may  gratify  his  taste,  and,  other  things  equal, 
will  be  the  more  industrious  and  thriving  man.  He  holds  to  the 
men  about  him  the  high  station  of  a  benefactor,  and  would  make 
any  efl'ort  within  his  power,  and  endure  any  privation,  rather  than 
lean  for  subsistence  upon  their  charity.  Could  yon,  by  some  ma- 
gical process,  infuse  a  good  taste  into  that  multitude  of  paupers 
which  brood,  like  the  incubus,  upon  the  bosom  of  community,  you 
would  exterminate  pauperism.  When  did  you  ever  know  a  man 
of  taste  become  a  pauper  1  At  least  when,  except  in  some  rare 
instances  of  prolonged  disease,  saw  you  a  pauper  who  was  not 
wholly  wanting  in  this  inestimable  endowment  1  When  I  see  the 
new  married  pair  with  no  object  about  them  tasteful,  by  a  kind  of 
instinct  I  mark  them  out  for  ultimate  poverty. 

Let  it  not  be  thought  that  a  good  taste  tends  to  form  a  fictitious 
and  deceitful  character.  It  is  confessed  that  rustic  coarseness, 
associated  with  honesty,  is  preferable  to  a  Chesterfieldian  system, 
founded  less  on  the  principles  of  a  good  taste  than  in  falsehood 
and  infidelity.  A  good  taste  scorns  the  fellowship  of  principles 
so  selfish,  and  contracted,  and  cowardly.  While  it  favors  a  polish 
as  fair  and  rich  as  Chesterfield's,  it  associates  with  it  the  integrity 
of  a  Hale,  the  philanthropy  of  a  Howard,  and  the  Christian  patri- 
otism of  a  Wilberforce. 

We  have  known  the  error  to  creep  into  colleges,  that  taste  and 
genius  are  not  likely  to  be  imited  ,  and  under  this  impression  many 
silly  youths  have  feigned  a  carelessness  in  their  personal  appear- 
ance, and  have  accustomed  themselves  to  keep  their  study  and 
their  dormitory  in  a  state  of  disorder  and  filth,  as  the  best  evi- 
dence they  could  give  of  mental  vigor.  And  not  unfrequently  has 
this  error  cast  reproach  upon  our  seats  of  science,  while  parents 
have  been  grieved  to  see  their  sons  return  from  the  seminarj^,  hav- 
ing unlearned  many  a  lesson  of  decency  that  had  been  for  years 
very  industriously  taught  them.  The  age  had  produced  some- 
where an  eccentric  genius,  who  was  totally  deficient  in  common 
sense  and  common  decency  ;  and  the  opinion  prevailed,  that  to 
have  his  powers  one  must  copy  his  insufl^erable  negligence.  But 
show  me  the  youth  who  has  finished  his  education  a  very  clown, 
and  I  say,  possibly  he  may  be  a  genius,  and  yet  a  beggar  and  a 
bear  too  ;  but  rest  assured  his  clownishness  is  a  prognostic  only 
for  the  bear  and  the  begjrar,  not  of  the  accomplished  and  success- 

voL.  n  f>3 


418  THE  INFLUENCE  OF  A    GOOD  TASTE 

ful  scholar  ;  and  we  always  fear  there  will  not  be  enough  of  the 
better  part  to  cover  the  worse.  I  know  we  sometimes  see  the  dis- 
gusting contrast  of  all  this,  the  spruce  and  booted  and  fantastical 
eoxcotnb  ;  lavishing,  conscience  and  economy  not  consulted,  the 
earnings  of  another  upon  his  vanity  ;  the  gallant,  when  he  should 
be  the  student,  the  curse  of  colleges,  the  stigma  of  his  father's 
house,  and  ultimately  the  scorn  alike  of  both  sexes.  But  I  turn 
from  this  disgusting  image. 

As  early  as  possible,  then,  I  would  have  the  taste  improved,  and 
would  urge  its  cultivation  among  the  duties  of  piety.  I  would  have 
every  man  lay  the  world  under  obligation  to  him,  because  he  makes 
the  little  world  about  him  more  fertile  and  more  beautiful.  I  would 
have  every  young  man  go  away  from  the  seat  of  science  feeling 
strongly,  that  every  deformity  of  the  natural  world  and  the  moral, 
Is  to  be  cured,  as  far  as  possible,  by  his  influence  ;  that  he  is  to 
touch  nothing,  mind  or  matter,  but  it  must  come  out  of  his  hands 
more  lovely  in  the  sight  of  God  or  man.  He  must  contribute  to 
make  the  desert  bloom  around  him,  and  the  wilderness  to  become 
an  Eden.  Let  him  feel,  that  as  wide  as  the  ruins  of  the  apostacy 
is  the  field  of  his  labor,  the  curse  that  fell  on  man,  and  the  mis- 
chief that,  through  him,  fell  on  the  territory  that  he  occupies. 

In  every  department  of  life  a  good  taste  gives  high  promise  of  in- 
fluence and  usefulness.  Does  the  youth  intend  to  excel  as  a  clas- 
sical writer!  a  good  taste  will  furnish  him  with  language  more  co- 
pious, and  figures  more  striking  and  appropriate;  and  a  field  of  il- 
lustration more  wide  and  diversified.  It  will  give  him  a  power  to 
persuade  and  control  that  he  would  not  have  otherwise  attained. 
In  Addison,  what  a  powerful  instrument  of  good  was  his  taste.  It 
chastened  his  wit,  and  enabled  him  to  shame  into  disuse  many  a 
mistaken  maxim  of  his  times,  and  rendered  him  the  scourge  and 
the  dread  of  proud  and  polished  profligacy.  His  finished  style 
was  the  grand  means  of  carrying  his  strictures  upon  manners  and 
morals  into  the  parlor  and  the  palace,  where  they  operated  in  pu- 
rifying the  character  of  the  nation  and  the  world.  Nnt  that  a  good 
taste  should  convert  every  writer  into  an  Addison:  this  would  be 
neither  pos-sible  nor  desirable.  While  his  writings  may  be  read 
with  profit  by  every  man,  they  may  not  be  safely  imitated  by  any. 
Let  every  man's  style  be  his  own.  Let  him  go  forth  in  his  own 
livery,  and  use  his  own  weapons  in  whatever  cause  he  would  sus- 
tain. Be  the  bent  of  his  genius  what  it  may,  a  good  taste  will  be 
one  of  its  most  powerful  aids.  Every  excrescence  of  his  genius 
it  will  lop  ofl^.     His  wit  it  will  chasten,  his  rashness  it  will  restrain 


UPON   THE    MORAL    AFFECTIONS.  4-19 

his  boldness  and  originality  it  will  regulate,  his  patriotism  it  will 
purify.  It  will  adapt  his  genius  to  more  nations  and  ages  than 
one.  Hence  it  is  that  works  of  genuine  taste  never  become  obso- 
lete. Homer,  and  Virgil,  and  Milton,  and  Cowper,  will  continue 
to  be  read  through  all  generations. 

Does  the  youth  aspire  to  eminent  usefulness  as  a  preacher  of 
righteousness  1  he  will  need  the  guidance  of  a  good  taste  ;  as 
there  are  polished  sinners  that  must  be  won,  and  accomplished 
believers  that  must  be  guided  home  to  heaven.  In  each  part  of 
his  work  he  will  have  need  of  language  soft  and  chaste  as  angels 
use.  A  good  taste  need  not  enervate  or  secularize  his  style,  but 
will,  if  there  be  genius,  invigorate  it.  It  will  qualify  him  to  handle 
profitably  those  subjects  which  are  in  themselves  disgusting,  and 
from  which  delicacy  might  otherwise  shrink.  He  may  descend, 
accompanied  by  a  good  taste  as  his  guardian  angel,  into  the  low- 
est cells  of  iniquity,  and  make  war  with  it  in  all  its  haunts  of  filth- 
iness,  without  offending  delicacy.  It  will  give  him  that  address 
which  will  bring  him  into  successful  conflict  with  a  whole  family 
of  vices,  that  would  otherwise  lie  without  his  reach,  operate  be- 
yond his  control,  and  parry  every  thrust  he  made.  It  will  teach 
him  how  to  characterize  foul  iniquity,  and  to  stamp  its  shame  by 
an  indignation  so  full  of  soul,  and  by  illustrations  so  elevated,  as 
to  hold  himself  a  whole  atmosphere  above  the  meanness  and  the 
turpitude  he  depicts.  Seated  on  a  cloud,  he  may,  unharmed,  dart 
his  lightnings  down  into  the  dreariest  and  filthiest  abodes  of  moral 
putrefaction.  As  if  an  angel,  with  sword  pointed  and  burnished 
in  heaven,  and  himself  shrouded  in  celestial  glory,  should  be  sent 
to  still  the  tumults  and  lay  the  blasphemies  of  the  infernal  prison. 
The  better  the  taste  employed,  and  the  more  elevated  the  language 
in  which  admonition  and  rebuke  is  administered,  the  deeper  may 
he  descend  till  he  has  seized  iniquity  in  its  profoundest  caverns, 
and  laid  it  naked,  and  lashed  it  into  agony  and  into  shame. 

Would  the  youth  qualify  himself  to  be  a  teacher  1  he  will  have 
great  need  of  a  cultivated  taste,  and  that  whatever  may  be  the  age 
at  which  he  is  to  take  the  rising  generation  under  his  instruction. 
It  is  a  grief  and  a  loss  too  when  our  common  schools  are  com- 
mitted to  the  care  of  men  void  of  taste  ;  for  the  hackneyed  pro- 
verb is  still  most  true, 

"  Just  as  the  twig  is  bent,  the  tree's  inclined." 

The  child  of  five  years  old  may,  through  this  deficiency  of  his 
teacher,  receive  a  bad  impression  of  character  that  will  last  till  he 


420  THE  INFLUENCE  OF  A  GOOU  TASTE 

dies.  It  is  yet  more  lamentable  when  the  teacher  of  our  youth  is 
destitute  of  this  endowment,  and  cannot  point  out  to  his  pupils 
the  beauties  that  lie  along  the  track  of  improvement.  This  very 
failure  in  the  teacher  has  probably  damped  the  ardor  of  many  a 
young-  man,  and  turned  back  to  manual  labor  one  who  might  have 
reached  eminence  in  literature.  It  is  a  loss  not  easily  estimated 
when  the  preceptors  in  our  academies  and  tutors  in  our  colleges 
cannot  point  out  to  their  classes  the  flowers  that  bloom,  and  the 
sublimilies  that  open  to  view  as  they  climb  the  hill  of  science. 
And  through  all  the  ascending  grades  of  literary  instruction,  a 
good  taste  becomes  increasingly  important.  There  may  be  much 
in  the  character  of  our  public  teachers  to  admire  ;  there  may  be 
those  talents  and  that  good  sense  that  are  indispensable,  and  that 
amiableness  of  temper  which  in  their  station  is  above  all  price, 
and  that  piety  which  we  most  of  all  revere,  and  still  if  a  good  taste 
be  wanting  the  evil  will  be  long  and  distinctly  seen  in  the  deport- 
ment of  educated  men,  and  be  from  them  spread  out  and  handed 
down  till  it  affect  most  unhappily  the  character  of  our  whole  re- 
public through  many  generations.  On  them  too  it  must  depend 
to  give  American  genius  its  polish  and  elevation  and  influence  in 
the  literary  world,  and  to  decide  whether  in  letters,  as  in  correct 
views  of  true  liberty  and  enlightened  civil  government,  we  are  to 
stand  adm  red  and  honored  as  the  first  nation  on  the  face  of  the 
earth. 

Would  the  youth  gain  distinguished  eminence  at  the  bar  1  his 
good  taste  must  enable  him  to  chastise  fraud  and  mischief  without 
vulgarity.  The  ribaldry  that  has  sometimes  disgraced  the  legal 
profession,  must,  as  j-ociety  becomes  more  enlightened,  fall  into 
the  contempt  it  merits,  and  its  place  be  filled  with  solid  and  dig- 
nified argument  and  eloquence.  The  advocate  should  make  him- 
self respected  by  the  judge  and  the  jury,  on  whose  enlightened 
decision  rests  the  issue  of  his  cause.  And  he  will  so  often  see 
fraud  and  crime  in  a  smooth  and  varnished  aspect,  concealed  be. 
hind  all  that  art  can  do  to  polish  and  bapti^*^  it  into  honesty,  and 
all  that  wealth  and  influence  can  do  to  cover  its  deformities,  and 
all  that  pride  and  impudence  can  do  to  confound  its  opposer,  that 
an  improved  taste  will  be  requisite  to  follow  it  into  the  parlor  and 
the  theatre  and  the  billiard  room,  and  hunt  it  down,  and  strip  it, 
and  mark  it,  that  no  drapery  may  longer  conceal  its  hideous  and 
accursed  form.  If  his  weapons  be  coarse  and  blunt,  he  wiil  give 
polished  vice  tiie  vantage  ground,  and  furnish  it  an  unanswerable 
argument  why  it  should  not  be  willing  to  perish  by  his  sword.     In 


UPO'W    THE    MORAL    AFFECTIONS.  421 

the  hull  of  legislation  too,  and  on  the  bench,  and  throug-h  all  the 
ascending  grades  of  political  elevation,  a  good  taste  is  increasingly- 
necessary. 

The  physician  too,  to  be  respected  and  useful,  must  be  a  man 
of  taste.  He  is'  necessarily  conversant  with  the  best  families  and 
the  most  delicate  diseases,  and  cannot  be  coarse  without  offence. 
One  would  not  choose  to  invite  the  rustic  into  his  sick  chamber, 
or  s:ibmit  himself  to  his  surgical  operations.  Society  is  abused, 
(and  the  abase  should  have  been  long  since  corrected,)  when  the 
clown  is  pronounced  capable  of  practising  the  healing  art,  and  is 
sent  out  to  learn  his  first  lessons  of  decency  from  the  gentle  man- 
ners, the  subdued  accents,  and  restrained  habits  of  the  sick  and 
dying  bed.  Chain  hitn  to  the  plow  ;  put  a  spade  into  his  hand, 
and  not  a  lancet  ;  keep  him  from  touching  the  sacred  casket  of 
the  materia  7nedica. 

No  matter  into  what  department  of  life  and  action  the  youth  is 
entering  from  the  walls  of  the  seminary,  he  must  every  where 
have  a  good  taste  or  he  will  bring  literature  into  disrepute. 

My  motive,  then,  young  gentlemen,  in  addressing  you  on  this 
subject,  is  distinctly  seen.  God  has  given  us  a  world  in  which  there 
are  many  beauties,  but,  through  the  apostacy,  many  deformities. 
These  beauties  I  would  have  you  qualified  to  see  and  relish,  and 
these  deformities  to  obliterate.  I  would  have  you  employ  all 
your  genius  to  create  other  beauties,  till  every  spot  about  you 
shall  smile,  every  eminence  be  comely,  and  every  valley  verdant. 
I  would  there  should  be  in  your  views  an  enlightened  graciousness, 
which,  if  not  religion,  is  its  handmaid;  if  not  born  in  heaven,  was 
early  in  Eden  ;  if  not  possessed  of  power  to  subdue  the  heart,  may 
mould  some  of  its  rougher  affections  into  milder  forms  ;  and  though 
not  a  radical  cure  for  the  calamities  of  life,  has  abundant  power  to 
soothe.  You  would  then  be  more  useful  and  happy  while  you  live, 
and  we  should  have  higher  hopes  of  meeting  j^ou  in  heaven,  and 
joining  you  in  exploring  the  wonders  of  that  pure  and  tasteful  city, 
whose  walls  are  jasper,  whose  gates  are  of  pearl,  and  whose  streets 
are  paved  with   gold. 

Before  1  conclude,  I  must  be  permitted  to  devote  a  {e\v  words 
to  friendship.  I  see  many  faces  here  that  have  often  lighted  up  my 
own  with  a  smile.  It  is  affecting  to  meet  you  again  in  this  world  of 
change.  It  is  probably  the  last  time  I  shall  eer  see  you  all  until 
we  meet  in  that  country  "  from  whose  bourne  no  traveler  returns." 
I  learn  that  death  has  made  inroads  among  you.  It  is  a  note  of  ad- 
monition to  us  all  to  be  orepared  to  die.     The  past  year  has  been 


422  EXPOSITION. 

to  us  one  of  peculiar  interest.  God  has  deigned  to  display  the 
power  of  his  grace  under  my  poor  ministrations,  and  has  given  me 
often  the  pleasure  of  sitting  down  by  the  conscience  and  the  heart 
that  his  truth  and  his  Spirit  had  impressed.  And  I  have  rejoiced 
to  hear  that  he  has  been  in  very  deed  with  you,  begetting  everlast- 
ing consolation  and  good  hope  in  many  of  your  hearts.  Thus  it 
appears  that  he  who  is  rich  in  mercy  was  with  me  in  the  way  that 
I  went,  and  remained  with  you.  May  he  still  be  with  us,  and  keep 
us  by  his  power,  and  guide  our  wayward  feet  to  his  heavenly  rest. 
There  may  we  another  day  meet,  and  with  bursting  hearts  re- 
hearse the  mercies  that  bore  with  us  and  brought  us  safely 
through,  and  sustained  us  in  our  trials,  and  managed  our  spiritual 
enemies,  and  covered  our  heads  in  the  day  of  battle,  and  subdued 
our  lusts,  and  planted  our  feet  at  last  on  the  hills  of  promise. 
You  will  let  me  and  my  dear  people  have  an  interest  in  your 
prayers.  And  may  the  Lord  bless  this  people  and  its  ministry, 
and  bless  these  rising  schools  of  science,  and  all  their  guardians 
and  teachers,  and  all  who  come  to  seek  wisdom  at  these  gates. 
From  age  to  age  let  heaven's  richest  influence  come  down  on 
these  hills,  and  flow  out  in  streams  of  salvation  through  the  world, 
and  down  through  all  generations,  till  all  the  curse  shall  be  re- 
pealed, and  God  be  once  more  pleased  with  the  world  he  made. 


EXPOSITION  CF  1  JCHX  IV.  19. 
We  love  him,  because  he  first  loved  us. 

This  text  has  been  subjected  to  various,  and,  in  a  measure, 
contradictory  expositions. 

Some  have  supposed,  that  our  love  to  God,  Is  mere  gratitude  to 
him  for  having  loved  us.  They  have  gone  upon  the  supposition 
that  naturally  we  imbibe  the  impression  that  God  is  our  enemy, 
but  v.hen  at  length  we  discover  the  mistake,  and  learn  that  he 
loves  us,  it  fills  us  with  gratitude  and  love  to  him.  To  this  expo- 
sition there  are  several  objections.  If  it  were  true,  more  light 
would  change  the  heart.  The  most  depraved  man,  needs  only  to 
be  convinced  that  God  is  not  so  angry  with  him  as  he  supposed, 
and  in  fact  is  his  friend,  and  the   change  is  effected.     He   needs 


only  to  have  his  mistake  corrected,  and  he  is  a  new  man,  and  to 
effect  this,  nothing  is  necessary  but  light.  Depravity,  of  course, 
has  its  seat  only  in  the  understanding.  But  this  will  not  agree 
with  the  testimony  of  inspiration.  Regeneration  is  spoken  of  as 
a  change  of  heart.  The  stony  heart  is  said  to  be  taken  away,  and 
there  is  given  a  heart  of  flesh.  The  new  man  has  passed  from 
death  unto  life.  But  all  this  is  hyperbole,  if  the  change  is  the 
mere  correction  of  a  mistake. 

If  this  exposition  were  correct,  the  gospel  could  have  no  agency 
in  the  conversion  of  sinners,  for  on  the  principles  of  the  gospel, 
no  man  can  have  any  evidence  that  God  loves  him,  tiil  he  loves 
God.  "  Hereby  know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in  us,  be- 
cause he  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit."  Constantly  do  the  Scrip- 
tures teach  us,  that  our  interest  in  the  Divine  affections,  can  be 
known  only  by  our  love  to  God,  our  obedience  to  his  commands, 
and  our  attachment  to  his  holy  family.  But  if  the  exposition  given 
be  true,  none  of  all  this  can  take  place,  till  God  has  loved  us,  and 
has  revealed  to  us  this  fact.  Hence  a  voice  from  heaven,  and  not 
the  Bible,  must  make  knoum  the  truth  that  effects  our  sanctification. 

The  exposition  given,  supposes  also,  the  truth  of  a  palpable 
absurdity  ;  that  God  can  love  us,  while  we  possess  no  goodness 
for  him  to  love.  Till  we  love  God,  we  hate  him,  and  to  hate  infi- 
nite excellence,  is  to  be  totally  depraved.  This  continues  to  be 
the  character  of  every  man  till  he  loves  his  Creator.  Hence,  till 
then  it  is  impossible  that  God  should  be  pleased  with  him.  He 
assures  us,  "  I  love  them  that  love  me  ;"  implying  that  all  others 
he  does  not  love.  God  cannot  view  with  complacency  the  man 
who  has  no  pleasure  in  the  contemplation  of  infinite  moral  excel- 
lence. A  being  so  depraved  is  not  worthy  of  Divine  regard. 
"  God  is  angry  with  the  wicked  every  day,"  and  hence  is  continu- 
ally angry  with  every  man  who  does  not  love  him.  Should  an 
unregenerated  man,  therefore,  hear  some  supernatural  voice  pro- 
claim, "  beloved  of  the  Lord,"  he  ougrht  to  doubt  whether  the 
revelation  came  from  heaven.  For  God  will  not  reveal  to  him 
that  which  the  Bible  would  contradict. 

The  exposition  which  we  are  noticing,  exhibits  depravity  as 
confined  to  the  understanding,  and  he  surely  is  not  very  exten- 
sively depraved,  who  has  merely  mistaken  a  matter  of  fact.  The 
Scriptures,  however,  exhibit  a  darker  picture.  They  speak  of  the 
unsanctified  heart  as  the  seat  of  malicious  passions,  as  full  of  aH 
bitterness,  as  issuing  evil  thoughts,  murders,  adulteries,  fornica- 
tions, thefts,  false  witness,  blasphemies.     We  are  told  that  ''  every 


424 


EXPOSITION. 


imagination  of  the  thought  of  the  heart  is  evil,  only  evil  continu- 
ally." We  are  assured  that  "  the  heart  is  deceitful  above  all 
things,  and  desperately  wicked."  The  errors  of  the  understand- 
ing, are  ascribed  to  the  influence  of  the  heart.  "  A  deceived  heart 
hath  turned  him  aside,  that  he  cannot  deliver  his  soul,  or  say,  Is 
there  not  a  lie  in  my  right  hand."  Another  objection  to  this  ex- 
position is,  that  it  exhibits  a  religion  purely  selfish.  He  who  loves 
God  merely  because  he  conceives  that  God  loves  him,  can  be  said 
only  to  love  himself.  But  the  religion  of  the  Bible  is  spoUen  of 
as  a  charity  that  seeketh  not  her  own.  It  discovers  in  holiness 
an  intrinsic  value,  which  renders  it  lovely  for  its  own  sake,  inde- 
pendently of  any  relation  which  it  may  sustain  to  us. 

This  exposition  is  contrary  to  all  the  examples  given  us  in 
Scripture  of  apostolic  preaching.  It  was  the  aim  of  the  apostles 
to  make  their  hearers  see  their  own  vileness,  and  feel  that  tlie 
wrath  of  God  hung  over  them.  Says  an  apostle,  "  by  the  terrors 
of  the  Lord  we  persuade  men."  But  what  can  this  mean,  if  there 
is  no  other  depravity  than  what  consists  in  a  mistake  of  the  un- 
derstanding 1  But  no  apostle  preached  a  doctrine  like  this,  and 
no  man  may  thus  preach  without  the  danger  of  contradicting  the 
records  of  eternal  truth. 

There  is  another  exposition  of  this  text  which  has  a  higher 
claim  upon  our  faith.  It  is  this.  U  God  had  not  viewed  us  with 
a  benevolent  regard,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  we  should 
have  continued  his  enemies.  Divine  compassion  originated  the 
plan,  and  provided  the  means,  of  redemption.  The  same  benevo- 
lence led  him  to  awaken,  convict,  and  renew  us.  We  are  Chris- 
tians, because  God  viewed  us  with  pity,  and  made  us  the  willing 
and  thankful  recipients  of  his  mercy.  Thus  we  love  him  because 
he  first  loved  us,  because  he  was  led  by  his  good  will  to  change 
our  hearts,  to  give  us  holy  affections. 

The  difference  in  the  two  expositions  is  this.  The  first,  which 
I  consider  as  altogether  incorrect,  represents  the  love  of  God  to 
us  as  our  only  motive  for  loving  him.  The  second,  which  although 
perhaps  deficient,  certainly  approximates  toward  the  truth,  repre- 
sents the  benevolence  of  God  as  that  which  moved  him  to  prepare 
the  way  for  our  redemption,  and  bring  our  hearts  to  love  him. 

This  exposition  accords  with  the  main  object  of  this  epistle* 
which  dwells  much  on  the  love  of  God,  manifested  in  providing 
redemption  for  our  miserable  world.  VVe  read  in  the  context, 
"In  this  was  mimifested  the  love  of  God  toward  us,  because  that 
God  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  into  the  world,  that  we  might  live 


ExrosiTiOxN.  425 

through  him.  Herein  was  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that 
he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  of  our  sins." 
In  the  gospel  written  by  this  same  apostle,  we  read,  "  God  so  loved 
the  world,  that  he  sent  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  For 
God  sent  not  his  Son  into  tlie  world  to  condemn  the  world,  but 
that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved." 

This  exposition  accords  with  other  portions  of  Scripture.  The 
Bible  everywhere  lays  the  foundation  of  the  Christian  Church  in 
the  everlasting  love  of  God  to  our  miserable  world.  In  no  case 
would  a  sinner  ever  love  God,  if  God  had  not  first  loved  him. 
"But  God  commendeth  his  love  toward  us,  in  that  while  we  were 
yet  sinners  Christ  died  for  us,"  And  "  we  also  enjoy  in  God, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  we  have  now  received 
the  atonement."  Thus  the  love  of  God  is  considered  as  laying 
the  foundation  cf  our  salvation,  and  it  must,  of  course,  be  the  first 
cause  of  our  love  to  him.     But 

It  is  thought  there  is  a  deficiency  in  this  last  exposition.  Cer- 
tainly none  will  deny  but  that  the  great  scheme  of  redemption  has 
its  foundation  in  the  eternal  love  of  God  ;  that  his  grace  furnished 
the  atonement,  and  that  his  Spirit  carries  our  hearts  to  love,  and 
finishes  our  sanctification  j  hence  the  love  of  God  is  the  cause  of 
love  to  him. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  contended,  that  God's  love  to  us  is 
a  proper  motive  for  loving  him  ;  not  the  only  motive,  it  is  true ; 
for  if  we  love  him  only  because  we  apprehend  that  he  loves  us, 
our  affections  are  purely  selfish.  But  why  not  love  hirn  for 
what  he  is,  and  yet  our  love  increases  on  discovering  that  he  loves 
us  %  If  the  question  in  controversy  be  simply  this,  may  God's  love 
to  us  become  a  proper  motive  of  our  love  to  him  ?  the  question, 
it  would  seem,  must  be  answered  in  the  affirmative.  Compassion 
in  the  heart  of  God  for  miserable  beings  is  a  lovely  trait  in  his 
character ;  and  when  discovered,  is  a  reason  why  we  should  love 
him :  and  if  we  may  love  him  because  he  felt  compassion  for  other 
miserable  beings,  why  not  because  he  had  pity  on  us  1  Hence, 
when  we  discover  that  the  God  we  have  hated  has  always  receiv- 
ed us  with  compassion,  this  discovery  should  awaken  our  love. 

That  God  can  exercise  no  other  love  to  impenitent  sinners  but 
that  of  good  will,  there  scarcely  needs  an  argument  to  prove.  No 
unregenerate  man,  whose  heart  is  at  enmity  against  God,  can  possi- 
bly be  to  him  an  object  of  complacency.  If  then  he  wait  till  he 
discover  that  God  is  pleased  with  him  before  he  can  love  his  Ma- 

voL.  II.  54< 


4^6  EXPOSITION. 

ker,  he  must  wait  for  ever.  But  the  idea  that  God  is  a  merciful  be- 
ing enters,  or  ought  to  enter,  into  every  contemplation  of  the  Divine 
character.  We  are  no  more  required  to  love  a  God  all  justice, 
holiness,  and  truth,  than  a  God  of  all  mercy.  Why  may  it  not  hap- 
pen, then,  that  a  sinner,  when  he  first  contemplates  the  God  of 
heaven  w^ith  seriousness,  may  think  of  his  good  will  to  our  misera- 
ble world,  and  to  himself,  with  others  %  And  while  he  looks  at 
God,  and  his  heart  is  changed  into  love,  this  very  trait  in  the  Di- 
vine character  may  be  the  first  thing  discovered,  and  may  become 
a  most  powerful  attractive  to  his  affections.  Thus  he  loves  God, 
among  other  reasons,  because  God  first  loved  him.  The  text  has 
unquestionable  reference  to  a  kind  of  love  felt  by  the  Creator  for 
his  creatures  while  dead  in  sin  ;  and  this  would  be  no  other  than 
mere  good  will.  This  trait  in  the  Divine  character,  and  there  is 
no  other  more  prominent,  the  sinner  may  discover  as  soon  as  any. 
Nor  would  it  be  surprising  if  this  should  be  the  first  attribute  of 
Jehovah  that  should  attract  his  gaze.  It  would  be  mistaking  the 
true  character  of  God,  if  one  should  conceive  of  him  as  destitute 
of  compassion  for  the  wretched.  Still  the  good  man  will  love  the 
whole  of  the  Divine  character.  If  his  benevolence  engrosses  the 
whole  of  our  affections,  it  needs  no  argument  to  prove,  that  our 
hearts  are  not  yet  right  with  God.  This  is  the  I  nger  to  be  avoid- 
ed. Many,  all  on  a  sudden,  have  seemed  to  b  nbsorbed  with  a 
sense  of  the  Divine  goodness,  who  yet  manifested  an  incurable 
enmity  to  every  view  of  God  as  holy,  sovereign,  and  unchange- 
able. One  trait  of  the  Divine  character  had  caught  their  admira- 
tion, and  for  a  time  they  were  filled  with  love  ;  but  when,  at  length, 
they  were  constrained  to  view  God  in  some  other  aspect,  their 
love  subsided.  They  could  not  contemplate,  but  with  a  frown, 
those  doctrines  which  do  honor  to  his  severer  attributes.  We  must 
love  the  Divine  character  as  it  is.  The  God  we  worship  must  be 
holy  as  well  as  merciful,  else  we  do  not  worship  the  Jehovah  of 
the  Bible. 

Probably  with  a  view  to  guard  men  against  a  selfish  religion, 
the  character  of  God  has  been  exhibited  in  false  colors.  It  has 
been  said,  "God  made  man  upright,  and  then  exerted  a  positive 
agency  in  making  him  a  rebel.  He  contrives  a  plan  of  redemp- 
tion, but  reprobates  some  in  the  outset,  fits  them  for  hell,  places 
them  in  that  world,  makes  the  righteous  rejoice  while  the  '  smoke 
of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever,'  and  may  do  so 
because  they  are  all  his  creatures."  Now  I  very  much  question 
whether  in  this  exhibition,  we   are  presented  with  a  correct  view 


EXPOSITION.  427 

of  the  Divine  character.  The  Scriptures  do  not  give  us  this  view 
of  God.  While  he  is  there  exhibited  as  a  sovereign,  who  does  his 
pleasure  in  the  armies  of  heaven  and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth,  and  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will, 
they  also  describe  him  as  a  God  of  mercy.  He  bears  long  with 
the  being  he  hates,  and  pities  the  very  wretch  he  destroys.  "  How 
shall  I  give  thee  up,  Ephraim"  1  Now  why  should  the  divine  be- 
nevolence be  undiscovered  in  those  perfections  which  constitute 
the  object  of  our  worship  1 

But  on  the  other  hand,  God  has  been  exhibited  as  scarcely  pos- 
sessing any  other  attribute  than  mercy.  This  has  been  spoken  of 
as  his  darling  attribute,  while  his  sovereignty,  his  purity,  and  his 
veracity  have  been  obscured  in  the  dazzling  light  of  the  favorite 
perfection.  Perhaps  such  a  view  of  God  is  still  more  dangerous 
than  the  other.  Give  him  no  desire  to  guide  his  operations,  no 
sovereignty  to  render  his  throne  august,  no  inflexibility  of  veracity 
to  ensure  the  execution  of  his  law,  no  holiness  to  render  sin  hate- 
ful, no  omniscience  to  search  out  the  culprit,  and  no  power  to 
make  himself  respected,  and  the  veriest  fiend  of  perdition  will  pre- 
sume on  his  mercy.  No  man  is  too  depraved  to  love  a  God  like 
this.  But  no  such  God  exists,  and  every  such  hope  in  his  salva 
tion,  is  without  foundation. 

"  A  pardoning  God  is  jealous  still 
For  his  own  holiness." 

God  will  own  neither  of  these  characters.  We  must  leave  him 
in  possession  of  all  his  attributes,  and  still  love  him.  Mercy  and 
truth  must  meet  together.  We  must  adore  him  as  possessed  of 
every  holy  and  gracious  attribute,  and  whichsoever  of  these  first 
attracts  our  gaze  should  melt  us  into  love. 

We  see  thus  why  religion  in  different  persons  wears  a  very  dif- 
ferent aspect.  One  has  viewed  too  exclusively  the  mercy  of  God, 
and  hence  his  religion,  though  full  of  praise,  is  deficient  in  solemni- 
ty and  humility.  There  attends  it  a  lightness  which  sometimes 
begets  a  doubt  of  its  sincerity.  Another  has  reflected  too  exclu- 
sively on  the  severer  attributes  of  the  Divine  character,  and  has 
almost  forgotten  that  compassion  has  any  place  in  the  heart  of 
God  ;  hence  his  religion  will  be  likely  to  be  gloomy.  He  will  be 
prone  to  fear  anr'  adore  his  Maker,  but  will  hardly  dare  to  praise. 
The  medium  of  these  extremes  is  the  religion  that  does  honor  to 
the  whole  of  the  Divine  character.  It  is  a  religion,  pleasant,  cheer- 
ful and  humble ;  a  religion  which  jvill  render  the  soul  happy,  and 
which  God  will  approve  and  honor. 


A  PLEA  FOR  THE  SCRIPTURES. 

TiiK  Bible  professes  to  be  tbe  book  of  God,  inspired  by  his 
Spirit,  and  sent  to  be  the  guide  to  life  and  salvation  of  this  ru- 
ined world.  It  would  seem  that  there  could  be  but  one  opinion 
respecting  this  book  ;  but  there  are  two.  While  soine  have  ac- 
cepted, others  have  rejected  it,  as  being  a  revelation  from  God. 
Two  questions  then  arise  :  "  W/ii/  ilo  unbelievers  reject  it  1  and 
'*  Why  do  believers  receive  it  V  These  questions,  permit  me  to 
answer. 

Why  do  unbelievers  reject  the  Bible  ?  I  shall  notice  now  merely 
the  more  common  objections. 

I  would  here  mention — First^  The  exclusiveness  of  its  reli- 
gion. All  other  religions,  unless  the  ^Mohammedan  be  excepted, 
are  more  catholic  than  the  religion  of  the  Bible.  The  worship- 
ers of  Thor  and  Jupiter  and  Moloch  would  have  placed  the  image 
of  Jesus  Christ  in  their  temples  and  worshiped  hiin,  if  his  disciples 
would  have  reciprocated  this  Catholicism,  and  would  have  wor- 
shiped the  images  of  their  gods.  If  they  would  have  only  yielded 
the  point  that  there  is  no  other  name  given  under  heaven  among 
men  whereby  we  can  be  saved,  there  would  have  been  no  quar- 
rel between  Christianity  and   heathenism. 

And  if  this  compromise  could  now  be  made,  and  Christianity  did 
not  require  a  belief  of  the  whole  Bible  history,  and  all  the  Bible 
doctrines  and  predictions  together,  with  the  deity  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  the  practice  of  all  the  duties  of  the  Bible,  there  would  be  no 
contest.  But  all  this  goes  to  say  that  inen  would  not  quarrel  wiih 
the  Bible,  if  they  might  disbelieve  it,  and  be  saved  without  it,  and 
pour  their  conteiript  upon  it. 

But  is  it  not  reasonable  to  believe  that  if  God  give  a  revelation 
to  this  world,  he  will  give  it  to  the  whole  world,  and  require  all 
men  to  receive  it  all,  and  make  it  the  only  way  to  everlasting  life  I 
If  not  thus  broad  in  its  application  and  its  claims,  it  becomes  a 
partial  salvation,  and  thus  it  must  tell  how  many  and  who  of  the 
human  family  may  feel  themselves  interested  in  its  contents. 

But  the  objector  inqiiires,  why  has  it  not  been  given  to  the  V}holc 
world  >.  why  has  God  published  a  system  of  salvation,  and  left  three 
quarters,  and  in  some  ages  almost  the  world's  entire  population, 
without  a  knowledge  of  his  will  \  If  this  objection  could  not  be  sat- 
isfactorily answered,  it  would  present  no  formidable  barrier  to  our 


A    PLEA   FOR    THE    SCRIPTURES.  429 

faith.  If  God  pleases  to  make  a  written  revelation,  to  a  part  only 
of  a  rebellious  world,  by  what  law  Itis  either  part  tlie  right  to  com- 
plain 1  Or  if  it  claim  to  be  a  general  revelation,  and  is  partially  cir- 
culated, what  then  1  Rebels  may  not  demand  overtures  of  pardnn. 
Moreover  the  whole  world,  had  not  the  carnal  mind  been  oppose!  to 
a  divine  communication,  might  have  had  the  bible.  Had  the  world 
been  ready  to  receive  it,  as  the  Gentiles  must  have  had  report  oiit, 
no  province  had  been  without  it.  The  people  that  God  chose,  as 
the  depositories  of  the  revelation,  were  in  the  very  midst  of  the 
more  enlightened  nations,  and  it  is  rather  difficult  to  account  lor 
the  fact,  that  all  nations  did  not  acquire  the  bible  from  that  central 
position  where  it  was  inspired.  How  could  Greece  and  Rome  and 
Babylon  and  Ejypt  lie  so  hard  by  Israel  and  not  have  opportunity 
to  receive  the  Scriptures.  Indeed  it  did  go  probably  among  all  na- 
tions, and  they  set  so  light  by  it  that  they  lost  it.  And  yet  we  can 
see  wise  purposes  answered  by  many  nations  being  long  without  it. 
They  thus  have  abundan  opportunity  to  act  out  the  native  temper  of 
their  hearts,  and  establis'i  the  history  of  the  apostacy.  In  the  mean- 
time those  who  have  the  Bible  may  learn  how  basely  they  have 
neglected  and  are  neglecting  their  duty  in  not  disseminating  it. 

Bit  says  the  objector,  1  learn  from  the  Bible  that  those  are  to 
perish  who  have  never  enjoyd  its  light.  Yes,  if  ihey  sin  against 
the  light  they  have.  They  perish  however,  not  because  they  were 
so  unfortunate  as  not  to  have  the  bible,  but  because  the  "  invisible 
things  of  God  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  beinw 
understood  by  the  things  that  are  made  ;  and  because  that  when 
they  knew  God  they  glorified  him  not  as  God  ;  hence  they  are 
without  excuse."  If  any  assert  that  God  will  destroy  the  heathen 
for  not  knowing  what  they  had  not  the  means  to  know,  their  con- 
troversy is  with  him  direct.  And  if  they  reject  the  bible  because 
they  think  it  so  teacl'es,  they  may  be  found  to  have  reasoned  false- 
ly, and  to  have  destroyed  themselves  by  their  inquisitiveness  into 
a  case  they  do  not  understand  and  that  does  not  secure  them.  If 
they  would  contend  that  God  may  not  destroy  men,  unless  he  first 
give  them  a  written  revelation  of  his  will,  and  give  them  opportu- 
nity to  reject  an  ofliered  Savior,  they  are  to  see  to  it  that  they  adopt 
a  sentiment  like  this,  on  arguments  that  God  will  approve,  else 
they  undo  themselves  by  their  own  vain  philosophy. 

The  discrepances  of  the  bible,  constitute  a  powerful  objection  to 
its  reception.  The  fact  we  do  not  dispute  that  there  are  some  de- 
tached passages  which  appear  to  be  contradictory.  But  a  candid 
mind,  acquainted  with  the  bible,  and  willino-  to  see  those  discrep- 


430  A   PLEA    FOR    -.niT.    SCRIPTURES. 

ancles  reconciled,  will  rather  be  strengthened  than  disturbed  in  his 
faith  by  them.  Jesus  made  and  baptized  more  disciples  than  John, 
yet  Jesus  baptized  not,  but  his  disciples.  He  did  it  as  Soloman 
built  the  temple,  i.  e.  it  was  done  by  his  sanction.  It  is  appointed 
to  all  men  once  to  die,  yet  if  a  man  keep  my  sayings,  he  shall  nev- 
er see  death  :  the  one  means  natural  and  the  other  spiritual  or  eter- 
nal death.  God  will  not  repent,  will  not  change  his  mind  and  coun- 
sel as  men  do  from  want  of  foresight ;  yet  it  repented  the  Lord 
that  he  had  made  man,  and  that  he  had  set  up  Saul  to  be  king  ;  that 
is,  he  changed  his  course  of  procedure  as  men  do  when  they 
change  their  minds  :  all  said  in  condescension  to  our  weak  capacities. 
The  genealogies  of  Matthew,  and  Luke  differ,  without  contra- 
diction, because  Matthew  wrote  in  Hebrew,  principally  for  the  use 
of  the  Jews,  and  therefore  traces  the  pedigree  of  Jesus  Christ, 
downward  from  Abraham  to  David,  and  through  Solomon  to  Jacob 
and  Joseph  the  reputed  father  of  Christ.  Luke's  pedigree  was 
written  in  Greek  for  the  use  of  the  Gentiles  and  traced  from  Heli, 
the  father  of  Mary,  to  David  through  Nathan  and  Abraham  to 
Adam.  As  to  the  or  ler  of  narrating  events  in  the  gospel,  we  arc 
to  remember  that  Matthew  and  John  were  constant  companions  of 
our  Lord,  and  would  be  most  likely  to  narrate  things  in  their  or- 
der of  time,  while  Luke  and  Mark  followed  the  order  in  which 
things  were  narrated  to  them  by  the  apostles,  hence  many  discrep- 
ances in  the  order  of  time.  One  apostle  notices  one  circumstance, 
and  another  some  other  one,  in  the  same  narration  ;  here  an  ap- 
parent discrepancy  in  this  story,  but  no  contradiction.  For  in- 
stance, one  apostle  makes  the  two  thieves  and  another  but  one  above 
the  Savior  as  they  hung  on  the  cross  ;  but  we  see  in  a  moment, 
that  the  one  stated  what  he  saw  at  an  earlier  hour,  when  b  th  the 
thieves  were  impenitent,  while  the  other  gives  us  the  state  of 
things  after  one  of  the  thieves  was  conveted,  and  the  other  con- 
tinued to  rail.  When  Paul  was  on  his  way  to  Damascus  and  the 
Savior  called  him,  one  Evangelist  says  that  his  companion  heard 
not  the  voice  that  addressed  him,  while  another  says  they  did  hear 
the  voice.  But  how  easy  to  perceive  that  they  might  all  hear 
the  sound  and  Paul  only  distinguish  what  was  said.  We  should 
gather  from  one  Evangelist  that  Christ's  celebrated  sermon  was 
delivered  on  a  mountain,  and  from  another  on  the  plain,  but 
who  can  be  ignorant  that  when  a  mountain  drops  gradually  into  a 
plain  there  is  a  spot  wliich  one  might  attach  to  the  mountain  and 
another  to  the  plain.  Two  Evangelists  say,  on  a  certain  occasion, 
that  after  six  days,  Jesus  taketh  Peter  and   James  and   John  his 


A   PLEA   FOR    THE    SCRIPTURES.  431 

brother,  and  brinjeth  them  up  into  a  high  mountain  apart,  another 
says  about  an  eigkt  days  after.  Now  nothing  can  be  plainer  than 
that  the  last  of  the  three  includes  in  the  eight  days  the  day  of  the 
discourse  and  the  day  of  the  transfiguration,  which,  added  to  the 
six  days  between,  make  the  eight.  Thus  every  discrepancy  in  the 
Bible  can  easily  be  reconciled  by  a  candid  mind.  Instead  of  un- 
settling our  faith  in  the  Bible,  they  constitute  in  fact,  as  we  shall 
see  directly,  a  strong  corroborative  testimony  of  its  authenticity. 

Another  objection  to  the  bible  has  been  drawn  from  its  history, 
especially  the  severity  of  some  of  the  christian  dispensations  there 
recorded.  The  extirpation  of  the  Canaanites  for  instance.  On 
this  subject  let  me  say,  that  the  Canaanites  were  notoriously  wicked, 
and  deserved  to  be  destroyed.  The  objection  lies  against  Israel 
beinT  employed  to  inflict  the  judgments  they  deserved.  And  why 
not  employ  men  to  do  it  with  as  much  propriety  as  famine,  or  pes- 
tilence, or  earthquake,  or  wild  beasts  1  Besides  it  may  be  doubted 
whether  Israel  had  not  a  better  right  to  the  soul  than  the  Canaan- 
ites, and  were  not  its  first  proprietors;  and  if  so  they  had  a  prior 
right  to  the  lands,  and  might  demand  their  right,  and  if  God 
so  directed,  used  the  sword  to  obtain  it.  And  this  answered  most 
others,  that  infidels  have  made  a  handle  of,  are  answered.  If  men 
deserved  to  be  'destroyed,  if  nations  merit  extermination,  God 
may  treat  them  as  they  deserve,  and  may  employ  what  instruments 
heplexses  in  the  execution  of  his  wrath.  If  he  command  men  to 
aveng-e  him  on  his  adversaries,  it  is  impeaching  his  righteousness 
and  his  sovereignty  to  complain  of  his  dealings.  "May  I  not  do 
what  I  will  with  mine  own,"  is  the  only  answer  in  the  case,  that 
should  satisfy  every  honest  mind. 

The  iacomistencies  o[  prof essors  of  religion  have  ever  constituted 
one  of  the  boldest  pleas  of  infidelity.  On  this  subject  there  are  a 
few  things  to  be  said  which  it  seems  must  be  sufficient  to  silence 
every  cavil.  Do  those  who  complain  feel  grieved  that  Christians 
are  not  more  holy  1  Do  they  then  practice  themselves  a  better 
mor  ility  than  the  christian  \  Are  they  more  or  less  pleased  with 
Chris  i  ins,  the  more  holy  t!iey  are  1  These  questions  are  easiiv  an- 
swered. We  ask  again,  do  they  blame  Christians  for  not  coTjing 
up  to  the  Bible  standard  of  morality  1  If  so,  then  it  is  not  the  Bible 
but  the  Christians  they  would  censure.  The  Bible  thus  teaches  a 
good  and  substantial  morality  1  Or  do  they  wish  to  be  un- 
derstood that  the  Bible  bears  Christians  out  in  their  sins,  and  is 
of  course  a  bad  book,  and  cannot  be  from  God.  If  so,  and  this 
must  be   the    ground   they  take,  else   how  have   the  faults  of  pro- 


432  PLEA    FOR    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

fessors  any  concern  with  the  authenticity  of  the  Scriptures  ;  then 
we  ask  how  does  it  happen  again, 

That  the  unrensona'de  strictness  of  the  (^^ible  morality  is  also  made 
to  constitute  an  objection  to  its  authenticity  \  Perhaps  no  objection 
is  more  common.  Christians  are  the  subjects  of  sneer  and  con- 
tempt, more  probably  than  for  any  other  reason,  because  of  their 
scr  ipiilous  regard  for  Bible  precepts,  forbidding  ihem  this  and  that 
an  J  the  other  (as  tlie  world  says)  innocent  gratification.  Now  the 
enemies  of  divine  revelation  may  not  bring  it  as  one  charge  against 
the  bible  th;it  il  teaches  so  loose  a  morality  that  the  Christians  who 
shape  their  lives  by  it  are  not  so  moral  as  other  men ;  and  yet  ob- 
ject to  the  Bible  that  its  morality  is  imnieasurably  rigid,  forbidding 
the  innocent  indulgence  of  the  right  affections.  One  of  these  theo- 
ries destroys  the  other,  and  men  should  be  more  consistent  than 
to  hold  to  them  both.  Either  admit  that  the  Bible  teaches  a  bad 
morality,  and  is  to  be  considered  as  the  cause  of  the  sins  of  God's 
people;  or  it  teaches  a  good  morality,  and  God's  people  do  not 
regulate  their  lives  by  it,  and  thus  the  quarrel  is  not  wiih  the  Bible 
but  with  the  hypocrites  who  pretend  to  believe  it. 

Another  objection  to  the  Bible  is  d/awn  from  the  tumults  occa- 
sioned by  its  advocates.  The  charge  brought  against  the  apostles 
was  in  the  very  spirit  of  this  objection  :  "  Those  that  have  turned 
the  world  upside  down,  have  come  hither  also."  And  our  Lord 
predicted  that  this  would  be  the  effect  of  his  religion.  He  came 
not  to  bring  peace  but  a  sword.  His  gospel  would  set  a  man  at 
variance  with  his  son,  and  the  son  with  iiis  father;  the  mother 
with  her  daughter,  and  the  daughter  witli  her  mother  ;  the  mother- 
in-law  with  her  daughter-in-law,  and  the  daughter-in-law  with  her 
mother-in-law  ;  and  a  man's  foes  should  be,  from  that  time,  they 
of  his  own  household.  Now  there  is  one  question  which  every 
honest  man  should  settle  before  he  uses  this  argument  against  the 
religion  of  the  Gospel.  Does  religion  make  war  with  the  peace 
and  happiness  of  the  world,  or  do  the  men  of  the  world  make  war 
with  religion  "{  'Ihe  :*ngels  went  down  to  Sodom,  and  their  com- 
ing excited  a  tumult,  but  were  the  angels  the  aggressors,  or  the 
people  of  Sodom  \  The  coming  of  the  apostles  to  certain  places 
raised  a  commotion,  but  was  the  tumult  excited  by  some  attack 
which  the  apostles  made  upon  their  qiietness,  or  an  attack  made 
upon  them  by  their  adversaries  \  Jesus  Christ  disturbed  the  quiet 
of  the  world  more  than  any  other  one  that  ever  dwelt  on  its  sur- 
face, but  was  he  a  turbulent  and  warlike  spirit,  or  did  the  world 
without  cause  swear  its  peace  against  him  1     Is  his  religion  pas- 


A    PLEA    FOR    THE    SCRIPTrJRES. 


4# 


sionate,  or  proud,  or  overbearintT,  or  selfish,  or  turbulent  1  Did  he 
teach  his  disciples  to  resist  evil,  or  to  be  meek  1 — to  contend  for 
their  rights,  or  take  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their  goods  1  To  as- 
pire after  place,  and  honor,  and  office,  or  to  hold  themselves  the 
subjects  of  a  kingdom  which  is  not  of  this  world  1  When  they 
would  put  him  on  a  throne,  did  he  second  their  measures,  or  hide 
himself  from  their  notice  \  If  the  fault  is  not  in  this  case  with  the 
Bible,  nor  yet  with  the  men  of  the  world  who  we  have  supposed 
waged  the  quarrel,  but  with  the  Christians  who  do  not  imbibe  the 
spirit  of  their  Master  nor  of  the  Gospel,  then  why  are  the  faults 
of  professors  in  this  case  made  an  argument  against  the  Bible  1  The 
Bible  is  a  good  book,  and  the  calamity  is  that  Christians  will  not  im- 
bibe its  spirit.     And  Christians  lament  this  far  more  than  do  infidels. 

The  hardness  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  constitutes  an  objec- 
tion to  its  authenticity.  Entire  depravity,  which  allows  not  an 
unregenerate  man  the  credit  of  having  one  single  right  affection  in 
his  heart;  and  the  sovereignty  of  God,  which  gives  him  entire 
control  of  his  creatures  ;  and  the  necessity  of  regeneration,  which 
reflects  upon  men  as  all  wrong  in  their  principles  and  conduct  till 
they  are  born  anew ;  the  necessity  of  the  Spirit's  influence  which 
renders  men  dependant  for  the  agency  that  sanctifies  them -all 
the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  are  offensive,  and  together  constitute  a 
creed  at  war  with  all  the  native  principles  of  the  heart.  And  the 
enemies  of  revelation  hardly  know  here  what  ground  to  take,  whe- 
ther to  own  that  these  doctrines  are  in  the  Bible,  and  discard  the 
Bible  ;  or  to  accuse  the  Christians  of  teaching  what  is  not  in  the  Bible, 
and  discard  them,  and  become  themselves  the  professors  of  its  reli- 
gion. Hence  the  division  of  the  great  family  of  unbelievers  into  infi- 
dels avowedly,  and  Unitarians  with  all  their  variety  of  subdivisions. 

It  is  not  an  unfrequent  objection  to  the  Bible,  that  its  sanctions 
are  unnecessarily  severe.  The  grand  point  of  attack  here  is,  ever- 
lasting misery,  threatened  for  the  sins  of  this  short  life.  Men  ar- 
gue, that  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  Divine  goodness,  to  make  sen- 
sitive beings,  and  suflTer  them  so  to  offend  him  as  to  become,  by 
this  means,  eternally  miserable.  They  do  not  see,  and  will  not  be- 
lieve, that  sin  deserves  so  prolonged  a  punishment.  They  do  not 
see  why,  in  every  case,  God  cannot  freely  pardon  the  sinner,  whe- 
ther he  repent  or  not,  and  thus  save  him  from  so  fearful  a  doom. 
But  who  can  say  how  much  punishment  sin  deserves  \  and  who 
assert  that,  that  if  any  less  punishment  was  inflicted  than  is  de- 
served, it  might  not  do  infinite  mischief  in  the  Divine  government! 
Who  can  show,  conclusively,  that  agents  would  have  been  erected 

vol..  II.  55 


434 


A    PLEA    FOR    THE    SCRIPTURES. 


without  leaving  them  at  liberty  to  undo  themselves  for  ever  1  And 
who  dare  say  that  agents  had  better  not  have  been  erected,  than 
to  have  been  placed  in  such  risk  1  Who  dare  assert,  that  it  would 
have  comported  at  all  with  the  Divine  government,  to  harden  sin- 
ners without  an  atonement,  and  without  repentance,  or  pardon 
them  through  the  atonement,  without  their  voluntary  acceptance 
of  it  1  Who  dares  assert,  that  the  ruin  of  a  part  of  our  race  in  hell 
may  not  be  the  grand  and  the  only  means  that  can  restrain  other 
worlds  from  open  revolt.  Hence,  who  can  be  presumptuous 
enough  to  affirm,  that  the  ruin  eternal  of  some  rational  immortal 
beings  may  not  comport  with  the  infinite  benevolence  of  God  X 

And  the  Bible  ought  not  to  be  rejected  on  mere  negative  argu- 
gument.  Men  should  show,  certainly  and  positively,  that  eternal 
punishment  cannot  be  just,  or  useful,  or  consistent  with  the  Divine 
goodness,  before  they  found  any  argument  upon  it  against  the  Bi- 
ble. And  here  again,  as  in  the  last  case,  we  find  the  same  men 
embracing  both  sides  of  the  alternative.  They  will  both  argue, 
that  no  such  doctrine  is  in  the  Bible  ;  and  also  reject  the  Bible, 
because  it  is  there.  There  is  nothing  more  common  than  to  find  a 
man  a  universalist  and  an  infidel  too  ;  though  inconsistent  as  it  is 
common.  To  make  the  Bible  prove  some  false  religion,  and  em- 
brace that  religion,  and  then  deny  the  Bible,  is  to  industriously  lay 
rocks  under  one's  house,  and  glory  in  its  stability,  and  then  assert 
the  rocks  to  be  mere  clay. 

We  would  name  other  objections  that  have  been  brought  against 
the  Bible,  but  they  are  all  futile,  like  those  that  have  been  noticed. 
The  book  has  been  rejected,  because  men  like  not  to  retain  God 
m  their  knowledge.  The  evidences  that  establish  its  divinity  are 
satisfactory  to  every  mind  that  the  Holy  Ghost  has  made  honest. 
Let  us  look  at  them. 

I  promised  to  give  the  reasons  why  believers  in  Divine  revelation 
receive  the  Bible  as  the  word  of  God. 

I  offer,  as  the  first  reason,  the  impossibility  of  accoimting  for  its 
existence  but  on  the  supposition  that  it  was  given  by  inspiration  of  God. 
Who  would  write  such  a  book  1  They  could  not  be  good  men, 
unless  they  were  inspired ;  for  they  declare  that  they  wrote  as 
they  were  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  hence  are  found  liars,  if 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  inspiration.  They  profess  to  have  re- 
ceived their  communications  from  heaven,  and  to  declare  the  word 
of  the  Lord.  Moreover,  good  men  would  have  no  motive  for  writ- 
ing such  a  book,  if  not  inspired.  It  offered  them  no  means  of 
gain,  or  of  rising  to  power  or  influence  in  this  life  j  and  if  false, 
no  prospect  of  immortality.     They  must  have  honors,  if  they  were 


A    PLEA    FOR    THE    SCR1PTUR"ES.  435 

men  of  sense,  and  their  writings  declare  this,  that  bonds  and  im- 
prisonment, instead  of  honors,  would  await  them,  for  so  condemn- 
ing the  world  as  they  have  in  the  Bible  ;  and  it  would  seem  most 
of  them  suffered  death.  Hence  good  men  did  not  write  the  Bible, 
unless  they  wrote  by  inspiration  of  God. 

And  bad  men  would  not,  for  reasons  that  are  still  more  unan- 
swerable. They  would  not  write  a  book  condemning  themselves, 
a  book  that  bad  men  have  hated  in  every  age  since  it  was  written. 
They  would  have  no  motive.  Suppose  them  convinced  that  the 
book  would  do  the  world  good,  such  men  are  not  desirous  to  do 
good.  And  they  could  easily  see  that  they  could  hope  for  no  re- 
ward in  this  world,  and  they  have  no  idea  of  suffering  now  in  order 
to  be  happy  hereafter. 

And  beside,  we  have  indubitable  evidence  that  it  was  written 
by  many  different  men  in  very  different  circumstances  of  life,  and 
in  different  ages.  Hence  the  necessity  of  a  great  amount  of  con- 
cert, which  we  cannot  suppose  to  have  existed  without  a  miracle, 
more  difficult  to  believe  tlian  anything  we  are  required  to  believe  in 
the  Bible.  Bad  men  cannot  be  supposed  to  have  written  the  Bible. 
There  is  perhaps  one  other  supposition,  that  is,  that  good  men 
wrote  the  book,  under  a  mistaken  impression  that  they  were  in- 
spired by  the  Holy  Ghost :  they  were  self-deceived.  This  how- 
ever is  incredible  ;  for  they  surely  would  know,  if  they  were  sane, 
that  they  were  or  were  not  supernaturally  assisted  in  the  work  ; 
and  the  Bible  wears  no  marks  of  being  the  effusions  of  distraction. 
Where  then  did  the  Bible  come  from,  if  it  is  not  what  it  professes 
to  be,  the  word  of  the  Lord.  This  one  argument,  if  there  were 
no  other,  has  always  cured  my  infidelity.  To  doubt  whether  the 
Bible  came  from  God,  I  must  believe  what  is  infinitely  more  in- 
credible than  to  believe  the  Bible  inspired  by  his  Spirit,  and  sent 
to  be  the  guide  and  the  salvation  of  ruined  man. 

The  unparalleled  morality  of  the  Bible  is  a  powerful  testimony 
that  it  came  from  God.  Search  all  the  uninspired  writings  of  an- 
tiquity, and  cull  out  carefully  every  moral  precept,  and  put  them 
together,  and  the  whole  will  not  contain  an  amount  of  sound  mo- 
rality, equal  to  some  insulated  precept  of  the  Bible.  If  a  Grecian 
or  Roman  poet  or  orator  hit  upon  some  wise  saying,  resembling 
even  remotely  some  precept  of  the  Bible,  it  denominated  him  the 
wise  man.  Their  writings  constituted  no  sufficient  guide  to  holi- 
ness or  happiness,  suited  at  all  to  the  exigences  of  a  ruined  world. 
A  spirit  of  benevolence,  of  forgiveness,  of  meekness,  of  humility, 
were  untaught  in  their  writings,  and  evidently  lay  beyond  their 


436  A   PLEA    FOR    THE    SCraPTURES. 

conceptions.  And  there  were  wise  men  on  earth,  there  was  talent, 
there  was  the  power  of  discovery,  of  invention,  but  there  was  no- 
thing like  a  sound  morality  invented.  Hence,  how  did  it  happen 
that  all  at  once  there  was  thrown  out  upon  the  world  one  book, 
like  no  other  that  had  ever  been  heard  of,  filled  with  moral  pre- 
cepts, like  nothing  that  had  ever  been  known  since  the  world  be- 
gan. And  this  not  written  by  a  Seneca,  a  Plato,  or  a  Socrates, 
the  wisest  of  antiquity,  but  by  a  company  of  men,  few,  if  any  of 
whom  had  been  schooled  in  the  sciences  of  antiquity.  Some  of 
them  it  is  true,  were  kings ;  others  shepherds ;  others  fishermen, 
and  tent-makers  ;  none  of  them  celebrated  for  other  writings, 
which  had  attracted  the  gaze  of  a  world.  They  are  not  heard  of 
as  men  of  science  and  literature,  till  they  write  the  Bible,  and  lo  ! 
there  was  never  any  book  like  it.  You  will  find  in  it  ten  thousand 
precepts  so  grand  and  finished  that  the  poorest  of  them  all,  if  we 
may  call  a  heavenly  precept  poor,  outshines  in  excellence  the 
richest  moral  maxim  that  ever  graced  the  page  of  any  book  that 
the  wisest  man  living  had  ever  written.  Now,  how  can  all  this 
happen  without  a  Divine  agency  1  How  can  such  a  book  be  con- 
sidered of  no  higher  origin  than  a  polluted  and  benighted  man  1 

And  what  we  may  properly  notice  here,  The  writers,  though 
born  in  countries  and  ages  far  separated,  and  without  the  possi- 
bility of  concert,  and  taken  from  every  variety  of  station  and  com- 
pany, all  teach  the  same  morality,  with  not  a  single  discrepancy 
that  is  not  easily  harmonized.  Now  to  believe  that  all  this  could 
happen  without  a  Divine  agency,  is  to  exhibit  a  credulity  never 
displayed  in  the  belief  of  truth.  The  infidel  must  here  surmount 
a  barrier  that  he  would  not  meet  with  in  giving  his  full  assent  to 
every  line  of  the  Bible.     I  notice  again. 

The  change  of  character  for  the  better  that  the  reading  and 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  produces.  We  have  seen  men  under  its  in- 
fluence putting  off"  the  character  they  had  always  worn,  and  chang- 
ed in  their  temper  and  conduct  till  they  were  emphatically  new 
men.  The  drunkard  has  become  sober,  the  profane  civil,  the  de- 
bauched pure,  the  idle  industrious,  the  quarrelsome  meek,  the 
churl  liberal ;  from  no  other  cause  that  would  be  seen  but  the  in- 
structions of  the  Bible.  The  Bible  tells  us  of  an  effiicient  cause, 
impressing  bible  truth  upon  the  conscience  and  the  heart,  the  Spi- 
rit of  God,  using  the  language  of  inspiration  as  his  sword  by  which 
he  divides  asunder  the  soul  and  spirit,  &c.  But  the  Bible,  were  it 
not  inspired  truth,  would  effect  no  such  change  ;  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  were  not  the  Gospel  inspired,  would  not   use  it   as  his  in- 


A   PLEA    FOR    THE    SCRIPTURES  437 

strument.  Hence  no  account  would  be  given  of  the  astonishing 
changes  which  the  Gospel  produces,  should  we  abandon  the  idea 
of  its  divine  original.  The  Shaster  and  the  Koran,  let  not  the 
sword  go  with  them,  would  produce  no  conversions,  and  if  they 
did  would  change  men  for  the  worse.  And  this  evidence  of  inspi- 
ration is  always  at  hand.  The  effects  I  have  noticed  are  produced 
every  year  in  all  lands  where  the  Gospel  is.  Thus  have  we  a  living 
testimony,  in  every  conversion,  that  the  Bible  came  from  heaven. 

The  discrepancies  of  the  Bible,  while  there  is  a  harmony  of  de- 
sign and  of  doctrine  running  through  all  its  pages,  is  evidence  of 
its  truth.  I  have  noticed  some  of  these  discrepancies  in  the  early 
part  of  my  plea,  and  now  refer  to  them  as  I  promised,  as  evidence 
of  the  truth  of  the  Bible.  They  show  that  there  was  among  the 
writers  no  concert,  and  no  design  in  any  of  them  to  deceive.  Had 
the  Bible  been  a  mere  human  fabrication,  framed  with  intention  to 
deceive,  more  pains  had  been  taken  to  avoid  any  appearance  of 
contradiction.  One  writer  would  not  have  made  Jacob's  family 
which  went  down  into  Egypt  to  consist  of  threescore  and  ten  souls, 
and  another  of  threescore  and  fifteen;  though  very  easily  recon- 
ciled. One  Evangelist  would  not  have  fixed  on  the  third  hour  and 
another  the  sixth,  as  the  time  of  the  Savior's  crucifixion.  Care 
would  have  been  taken  lest  their  apparent  discrepancies  should 
have  discredited  the  whole  story.  When  men  utter  only  truths, 
they  have  no  fear  of  contradicting  themselves,  or  of  contradicting 
others  who  utter  the  same  truths  or  other  truths.  In  courts  of 
law,  nothing  sooner  throws  suspicion  over  the  testimony,  than  a 
minute  circumstantial  agreement  between  two  witnesses. 

Circumstantial  variations  are  proof  that  there  has  been  no  ad- 
justing of  testimony  one  to  the  other.  And  honest  men  will  come 
to  the  same  conclusion  in  canvassing  the  evidences  of  divine 
revelation.  I  once  asked  a  confirmed  Deist  what  was  his  best 
evidence  against  the  truth  of  inspiration.  He  answered,  the  con- 
tradictions, as  he  termed  them.  He  stated  some  of  the  more 
prominent,  and  heard  my  expositions,  and  my  assurances  that  my 
own  mind  once  labored  on  this  very  point ;  but  since  the  trial  of  a 
certain  cause  which  I  attended,  where  two  witnesses  had  collated 
the  circumstances  of  their  testimony,  intending  to  make  out  a  lie 
to  be  the  truth,  I  had  viewed  the  discrepancies  of  the  Bible  as  a 
solid  argument  of  its  divinity.  He  took  a  day  to  think  on  the 
subject,  and  then  declared  that  I  had  sapped  the  foundation  of  his 
infidelity.  From  that  time  onward,  he  espoused  the  Bible  as  the 
book  of  God. 

The  accuracy  with  which  the  Bible  describes  the  human  heart  proves 


4.38 


A   PLEA    FOR    THE    SCRIPTURES. 


its  divinity,  unanswerablj",  to  every  man  who  has  had  a  knowledge 
of  himself.  I  know  this  argument  can  have  force  only  with  such 
as  have  been  the  subjects  of  conviction — and  most  men  have  been, 
to  a  greater  or  less  extent.  The  man  who  has  been  merely  con- 
victed, but  has  not  repented,  would  see  in  the  moment  of  alarm 
that  the  Bible,  if  T  may  so  speak,  knew  him  well.  It  described 
the  workings  of  unbelief,  the  resistance  he  made  to  divine  truth, 
the  reluctance  with  which  he  received,  on  many  subjects,  the  tes- 
timony of  God,  and  the  bare  assent  he  gave,  when  he  could  with- 
stand no  longer,  to  the  truth  of  the  distinguishing  doctrines  of  re- 
velation. It  laid  naked  the  self-righteousness  of  the  heart,  its 
mighty  effort  to  be  justified  by  its  own  doings  to  the  neglect  of  the 
righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  told  him  all  things  that  ever  he 
had  done,  and  thus  established  its  divinity.  It  made  him,  through 
the  Spirit's  influence,  to  bear  the  iniquities  of  his  youth,  to  smite 
upon  his  thigh,  to  be  ashamed  and  confounded.  It  caused  his  sins 
to  find  him  out ;  and  if,  finally,  he  did  not  repent  or  believe,  yet 
has  he  not  forgotten,  nor  will  he  forget,  when  he  is  lost,  how 
piercing  was  the  eye  of  divine  truth  in  that  period  of  his  alarm  : 
a  reason  here,  perhaps,  why,  of  all  men,  none  become  so  enor- 
mously wicked,  as  those  who  have  once  been  brought  very  nigh 
to  the  kingdom  of  God.  It  must  require,  in  one  whose  heart  has 
been  laid  naked  to  his  own  gaze,  a  desperate  resistance  to  enable 
him  to  overcome  the  obstacles  that  block  up  his  way  to  life  and 
salvation.  And  if  his  convictions  resulted  in  his  becoming  a  new 
creature,  he  has  still  more  conclusive  evidence  of  the  divinity  of 
the  Scriptures,  as  they  have  portrayed  the  emotions  of  piety,  and 
shown  their  power  to  melt  a  heart  of  stone.  The  regenerate 
man,  who  alone  is  willing  to  be  searched,  has  discovered  in  the 
Bible  a  kind  of  omniscience.  The  remains  of  his  depravity  are 
there  depicted,  as  with  the  brilliant  sunbeams  :  the  struggle  made 
by  the  flesh  to  overcome  the  emotions  of  the  spirit,  and  the  fierce 
and  wondrous  conflict  between  the  old  and  the  new  man,  all  the  exer- 
cises of  his  holy  nature,  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness, 
goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance,  are  there  exactly  described, 
fast  as  his  renewed  heart  puts  them  forth.  Hence  both  the  Christ- 
ian and  the  sinner  that  has  been  awakened — and  those  include 
about  the  whole  of  the  human  family  found  in  Christian  lands 
— have  evidence  of  the  divinity  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  wondrous 
power  it  has  to  enter  and  examine  the  human  heart.  And  all 
men,  if  they  would  suffer  themselves  to  think,  would  find  them- 
selves so  searched  out  in  the  Bible,  that  they  would  want  no  other 
evidence  of  its  divine  authority. 


A   PLEA    FOR    THE    SCRIPTURES.  439 

The  ■prophecies  of  Scripture  which  have  been  in  a  process  of 
fulfihnent,  long  since  the  most  sceptical  will  acknowledge  the  Bi- 
ble was  written,  prove  its  Divine  origin.  That  the  prophecies 
concerning  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  were  extant,  and  exten- 
sively read  while  yet  Jerusalem  was  standing,  is  a  historical  fact, 
which  no  candid  deist  v/ill  doubt.  And  who  but  God  could  so 
minutely  describe  the  siege  in  all  its  minutiae,  even  to  the  picture 
of  one  of  the  Roman  standards  ?  "  Wheresoever  the  carcass  is, 
there  will  the  eagles  be  gathered  together." 

The  prophecies  concerning  the  Jews,  their  scattered,  and  peeled, 
and  persecuted,  and  homeless,  and  enslaved,  and  insulated  coadi- 
tion  ;  and  which  are  in  fact  a  history  of  their  present  state,  is  an 
overwhelming  evidence  of  the  Divinity  of  the  Scriptures.  What 
other  nation  was  ever  conquered,  and  did  not  soon  lose  themselves 
among  the  conquerors,  so  that  in  a  very  few  years,  they  could  not 
be  distinguished  from  the  mass  of  the  population  around  them  1 

The  present  exertions  to  spread  the  everlasting  gospel,  the  rea- 
diness with  which  many  run  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge  is  increased, 
evinces  that  one  who  knew  predicted  the  event.  Sabbath  schools, 
and  Bible  classes,  and  the  progress  of  the  sentiments  of  freedom, 
all  say  that  God  inspired  the  Scriptures.  "  Thy  children  shall  all 
be  taught  of  the  Lord,  and  great  shall  be  the  peace  of  thy  children. 
They  shall  sit  every  one  under  his  vine  and  fig-tree,  with  none 
to  molest  or  make  them  afraid." 

0  !  who  can  resist  the  arguments  that  establish  the  truth  of  the 
Scriptures  (  How  can  a  sinner  stand  waiting,  before  he  submits, 
till  other  evidence  be  given  that  God  has  spoken  to  him  in  his 
word  \  Is  he  not  afraid  that  God  will  withdraw  the  overture  of 
mercy,  instead  of  giving  other  and  surer  tokens  that  he  has  au- 
thorized that  overture  to  be  made  1  How  long  does  he  think  God 
will  stretch  out  his  hand  to  save,  if  sinners  waiting  for  other  as- 
surances that  it  is  his  very  hand,  will  not  suffer  him  to  pluck  them 
from  the  wrath  to  come  ]  Never  has  there  been  any  case  like 
this  under  the  government  of  God,  a  case  where  mercy  was  offered, 
and  the  perishing,  through  unbelief  of  the  off^er,  suffered  a  total 
and  irretrievable  ruin  to  ensue.  Devils  had  no  reprieve  offered, 
had  no  overture  made,  and  did  not  put  on  their  chains  of  darkness 
through  the  stubbornness  of  their  infidelity.  Had  they  been  of- 
fered a  return,  and  a  restoration,  who  can  tell  but  every  spirit  of 
them  would  have  come  back  to  lojralty  and  duty,  and  God  had  no 
opportunity  to  show  his  wrath,  and  make  his  power  known  in  their 
signal  and  fatal  discomfiture.     And  if  the  inhabitants  of  any  other 


440  A    PLEA    FOR    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

world  have  fallen,  none  can  say  that  they  have  not  perished  as  de- 
vils have,  without  the  offer  of  restoration,  or  if  the  offer  has  been 
made,  they  have  not  all  put  forth  a  faith  in  that  offer  that  has  se- 
cured their  entire  redemption.  But  our  world  is  to  exhibit,  what- 
ever is  true  of  others,  the  strange  spectacle  of  beings  that,  having 
become  rebellious,  and  then,  to  deepen  the  darkness  of  their  cha- 
racter, have  disputed  the  validity  of  the  pardon  offered,  till  the 
overture  was  withdrawn,  and  remittance  eternally  withheld. 

And  yet  the  admonitions  given  from  the  dying  beds  of  unbeliv- 
ers  have   been  terrible  and   repeated  in  all  the  ages  of   infidelity. 

#  One  would  not  love  to  die  as  did  Voltaire  and  Paine.  Principles 
that  yield  no  support  in  the  dying  hour,  an  immortal  being  should 

^  fear  to  indulge.     A  wise  man  would  choose  to  provide  himself  a 

K^  prop  against  the  period  when    his   strength   must  fail  him  ;  would 

choose  to  build  where  no  storm  could  overthrow  his  habitation. 

How  horrid  to  live  sustained  by  the  miseries  of  a  dream,  and  in 
death  wake  to  the  reality  that  a  pardon  has  been  withdrawn,  be- 
cause life  was  spent  in  cavilling  with  the  testimony  that  sustained 

•  the  validity  of  the  overture  !  And  what  other  evidence  could 
God  have  given  1  Should  he  have  come  down  himself  to  read  the 
pardon  in  our  ears  1  He  did.  Should  he  have  sent  angels  down 
to  tell  the  world  that  their  Lord  had  come  1 '  He  did.  Should  he 
have  made  the  earth  quake  to  its  centre,  and  put  the  sun  out,  that 
man's  attention  might  be  arrested  to  the  proclamation  of  peace  and 
pardon  1  He  did  so.  Should  he  have  sent  forth  an  influence 
strong  and  mighty  as  that  which  shall  raise  the  dead,  to  subdue  to 
loyalty  some  millions  of  those  deaf  and  infatuated  rebels  '(  He 
did  so.  He  sent  forth  that  influence,  and  called  out  these  millions 
from  their  dungeons,  and  brake  off  their  fetters,  and  they  have 
stood  and  plead  with  others  that  they  would  believe  and  live.  And 
still  this  remains  the  same  infidel  world  that  it  ever  has  been, 
carping  at  the  testimony  of  God,  and  daring  his  anger,  when  they 
should  be  wooing  his  pardoning  mercy. 

"  0  earth,  earlh,  earth,  hear  the  word  of  the  Lord  !"  And  if 
earth  will  not  hear,  may  God  speedily  do  his  own  work,  and  grant 
the  Spirit's  saving  influence  to  mould  this  rebel  world  into  better 
form,  and  cure  its  plagues  of  unbelief,  and  cause  those  waters  to 
flow  out  from  his  sanctuary,  that  shall  carry  salvation  and  joy  to 
the  earth's  darkest  and  dreariest  and  farthest  territories.  Benefi- 
cent God,  bless  and  save  them  that  hitherto  would  not  believe  thy 
word. — Amen. 


.Sr 


